Aphrodite's Destiny: Love Changes Everything
by Mistress Lrigtar
Summary: When nearly ten-year old Ginny Weasley brews a love potion with her best friend, Luna Lovegood, the results are nothing like what she expects them to be. She soon finds that not only has her life been irrevocably changed, but that of the boy she has always dreamed of, Harry Potter.
1. Chapter 1 - The Burrow

**Author's Notes: **This is a continuation of _Aphrodite's Destiny_, a story I submitted for the Soul Bond Challenge over at SIYE a few years ago. It picks up after Chapter Three of that story (which is also located on )If you haven't read it, I suggest you start there, but skip the Epilogue and return here.

I hope to post updates twice a month. However, due to my real-life schedule, this is a work-in-progress, but I will try my best to adhere to my posting schedule. Many thanks to may fabulous betas, Arnel, Brennus, and seekers_destiny. Without them this would be impossible. Enjoy!

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

_'Aphrodite, goddess of love,_

_One who watches from far above._

_Show me that which is to be my fate;_

_Reveal the face of my soul mate.'_

As the last word rolled off her tongue, Ginny drank the contents of the goblet in one gulp before she lost her nerve.

"Luna," she began, but her mouth felt like it was suddenly full of cotton and she could no longer produce intelligible words. Luna's image blurred in front of her, and the last thing Ginny thought she saw was her friend reaching out for her from a very long distance before Ginny's knees buckled and she crumpled to the floor.

Harry did not want to be sick, and rolling onto his side, he drew his knees up in a foetal position hoping it would subside. The last thought he had before he passed out was of how angry his uncle was going to be when he came home from work and discovered Harry hadn't been able to finish his chores.

"Soul mate," Harry repeated. "Is that what you are?"

Ginny blushed furiously and looked down at her knees. "I – I don't know. I'm starting to think the potion may have awakened something within us. I'm so sorry! My mum punished me for playing with magic I didn't understand, but Luna had assured me it was just a silly potion. Nothing like this happening was mentioned at all!"

Harry looked around the room at the two professors, Ginny's parents and then the girl herself, who looked as confounded as he did, before returning his gaze to the goblin, Adoyrak. "Who's my wife?"

Adoyrak peered over at Harry before pulling his golden pocket watch out and flipping it open, twisting a few dials on the side. He lifted the top most parchment off the pile on his desk and consulted it as well. "At precisely 12:36 pm this afternoon, Wednesday, July 31, 1991 Ginevra Molly Weasley and Harry James Potter were united in spiritual matrimony. Ginevra is your wife, Mr. Potter."

And now the continuation of Aphrodite's Destiny...

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Harry sat at the scrubbed wood table in the kitchen of The Burrow feeling distinctly uncomfortable as the unintelligible sounds of the Hogwarts professors and the Weasleys arguing drifted in from the sitting room. In the corner of the kitchen sat a gleaming cage containing a snowy white owl that Hagrid had enthusiastically thrust upon Harry when he arrived at the Weasley home, exclaiming a bright 'Happy Birthday' despite the look Molly Weasley had been sending the jovial groundskeeper. Hagrid had appeared to be completely oblivious to the cloud hanging in the air and Harry had hesitantly accepted the birthday gift, mumbling a subdued 'thank you, Hagrid' despite the elation his heart was feeling.

After all, it was the first proper birthday present he had ever received. Mrs Weasley had been most displeased with the display and Harry had the distinct feeling that she did not think he should be rewarded after what he had apparently done to her only daughter. She had herded them all inside and left Harry and Ginny in the kitchen under the watchful eyes of her four sons, all of whom were now staring at Harry as if he had grown a second head.

The youngest, who he deduced was near his age, gaped unabashedly at Harry's lightening bolt scar, causing him to self-consciously brush at his fringe to hide it. The disappointment on the boy's face was palpable, but Harry didn't care. Ever since he had set foot in Diagon Alley, everyone he had encountered had stared at him in much the same fashion and he had been grateful for Hagrid's presence. Unfortunately, as soon as Hagrid had presented him with the owl, Professor Dumbledore had taken the groundskeeper aside, received the small package Hagrid had retrieved from Gringotts and sent him back to Hogwarts. If it hadn't been for Ginny, Harry was certain he would have been a nervous wreck by now.

Ginny sat next to him, glaring across the table at her four brothers, and even though Harry wasn't touching her, her ire was so great he could feel it seeping into him. It felt strange to be nervous, uncomfortable, and irrationally angry at the same time. He tried to ignore the alien feelings he was certain weren't his own, but it was proving extremely difficult.

"Stop staring, you gits!" Ginny finally barked, making all five boys at the table jump. "Harry, these are my brothers, Percy, Fred, George, and Ron, and I apologize for how rude they are being."

"So, you're _the_ Harry Potter, then?" Fred piped up, ignoring his sister.

"I'm just Harry Potter," Harry said quietly.

"Are you having us on?" George guffawed. "Every witch and wizard our age has grown up hearing all about you."

Harry glanced nervously over at Ginny who smiled weakly back at him and he couldn't help but notice the slight tinge of red that graced her cheeks. Her anger was fading and quickly being replaced by embarrassment, which he couldn't understand either.

"Ginny's been mad over you ever since she heard the tale," Ron blurted out before jerking back and howling in pain. Ginny was shooting daggers across the table at him. Harry stared over at Ron. There was a tale about him? This day was becoming increasingly more like the stuff of dreams with every passing moment.

"What tale?" Harry asked, looking from the four boys and then over towards Ginny who was redder than she had been before. Her mortification would have been clear even if Harry hadn't been able to share it as his own.

"About how you defeated You-Know-Who," George answered, "when you were only a baby."

"You must be pretty powerful to have done that," Fred remarked, making Harry distinctly more uncomfortable with the way he and George were now eyeing him.

"What exactly did you do to our sister in Diagon Alley, Harry?" Percy asked, peering intently at Harry through his horn-rimmed glasses. Harry adjusted his own battered glasses nervously and stared back at him. Of the four boys, he was the most intimidating and Harry shook his head mutely, unable to answer.

"He didn't do anything, Percy!" Ginny spat.

"How were you frozen, then, Ginny?" Percy asked, and much to Harry's relief turned his questioning look upon her. "You should know Mum was beside herself."

"As you can see, I'm perfectly all right," Ginny groused.

"What's he here for, then?" Fred asked, sending Harry a very threatening look, reminiscent of Dudley, and Harry involuntarily cringed against the back of his chair.

"That's right," Fred observed, rising in his seat to lean across the table. "You should be scared."

"Leave him alone!" Ginny screeched, jumping up so suddenly, she sent her chair clattering backwards onto the floor. Shame flooded through Harry at allowing a girl to defend him, even for a moment, and steeling himself, he rose as well, gazing steadily at George.

"It's all right, Ginny," Harry said quietly. "He's right, I am scared."

All four boys gaped at his admission, their anger diminishing somewhat to be replaced by curiosity. Ginny shifted her gaze to him as well, and Harry took some comfort from her warm, chocolate brown eyes that filled with understanding.

"I'm scared," Harry continued, "because I don't have any idea what is going on. Before today, magic was only something I had read about in books. I had no idea it was actually real." His legs shook with fear and exhaustion and Harry pressed his thighs against the table in an effort to mask the weakness. Dudley had always been able to sense when he was at his weakest and those times had always been the worst. The three oldest Weasleys still looked ready to beat him to a pulp; only the youngest appeared torn between his curiosity and his anger.

"Then it was accidental magic today," Percy mused, his threatening stance subsiding as he mulled over the idea.

"No, it wasn't accidental," Ginny informed her brothers.

"So, it was intentional," Fred insisted.

"No," both Ginny and Harry answered at the same time.

"So, what was that in Diagon Alley, then?" George asked. "It was bloody strange, and like Percy said, Mum was mental, especially after that goblin left."

Harry's heart was beating nervously in his chest and he felt like he was going to explode. He wasn't certain how much more he could take out of this day and the thought of mustering any more energy to deal with Ginny's brothers, who appeared to be as protective as her mother, was more than he could bear. Ginny instantly sensed his distress and firmly took hold of his hand, eliciting shocked looks from the four sets of brown and blue eyes staring at them.

"Neither one of us knows," Ginny stated. "Quite honestly, both Harry and I are just as confused as the four of you. Now, if you don't mind, we are going out on the back steps for a bit of fresh air." Tugging on Harry's hand, she led him towards the back door and outside into the blessedly quiet garden.

Ginny sat down on the top step and pulled Harry down next to her before releasing his hand. Harry was extremely grateful to be away from the probing eyes and questions of Ginny's brothers. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that they were all hovering at the window by the door, peering out at him and Ginny. Percy's eyes were narrowed in suspicion and one of the twins, Fred, Harry thought, shook his fist towards Harry behind Percy's back. Harry quickly turned away to look at the garden instead.

The grass was dry, brittle, a light green, and vastly different from the grass in the meadow he and Ginny had just visited a few hours ago. It now all seemed like a dream and Harry was beginning to question if it had even happened. However, Molly Weasley's raised voice drifted out a window of The Burrow and he sighed greatly, because even if the meadow wasn't real, Ginny's mother's dismay and ire were.

Ginny sniffed beside him and looking over, he saw that she was crying softly.

"Please don't cry, Ginny," he said, not knowing how to comfort a crying girl in the slightest. Most of the girls in his primary school had avoided him like the plague. One day Dudley had caught Harry talking to a girl in their class named Norma, and had shouted for everyone to hear on the playground that he had just seen her pick her nose and eat the bogie because her family was too poor to afford real food. Of course, Norma had been mortified and Harry had tried his best to comfort her. It had only made things worse and by the end of recess she had blamed him.

He could still remember how Dudley had gloated all the way home, attempting to make him angry. Of course, he had been succeeding and it had taken all of Harry's will power not to turn on his much larger cousin and punch him. Instead, he had silently seethed, thinking of all the things he wished he could do to his cousin to make him pay. He hadn't noticed when Dudley's continuous goading had stopped and been replaced by his Aunt Petunia screaming from the front stoop of Number Four Privet Drive before rushing to her son's side. Harry had turned around slowly to find Dudley's face completely covered in a greenish-yellow slime. At first, he hadn't been able to figure out what the disgusting goop was, but he had soon realized it was mucus and it had been coming from his cousin's nose.

Harry had gaped like a fish at the sight until his aunt's livid and very purple face was directly in front of his, screaming that it was his fault before dragging him and Dudley inside the house.

Everything was always his fault, including what had happened today. He avoided looking at Ginny, even though her crying was considerably louder. He sincerely hoped her brothers didn't notice because Harry was quite certain he didn't stand a chance against the four of them. Perhaps he should run away, but as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he remembered what had happened in Adoyrak's office and realized that would be impossible. He was stuck here and unfortunately, that meant Ginny was stuck with him.

"I am so sorry," Ginny sniffled beside him. "This is my fault! You must hate me."

Harry looked over at her in shock. "No. I was just thinking the same thing, only about myself. Everything is always my fault."

Ginny shook her head. "Oh, Harry." She looked back at him and the tears clinging to her lashes sparkled in the late afternoon sunlight like diamonds. "So, what do we do now?"

Harry felt her uncertainty mingling with his own. "I don't know. It seems like your mum and dad and the professors are trying to figure that out for us." He thought that he and Ginny should have some say in what happened to them. Perhaps they should go back inside and join the discussion, but he didn't particularly relish the idea of facing Ginny's brothers and parents again.

"My brothers really are nice, Harry," she said in response to his unspoken misgivings.

He nodded uncertainly. "How are they going to feel about us being married?"

"I'm not sure," Ginny's eyes filled with worry. "How do you feel about that?"

Harry looked down at his too large and scuffed trainers. The rubber was peeling away from the toes from all the times he had tripped over his feet. It was obvious that the Weasleys didn't have a lot of money, but Ginny was well cared for and once again he felt completely inadequate. Not to mention that he didn't know the first thing about being married or even what that meant for the two of them. The idea of marriage was so completely foreign to him, since until today he had never thought much about his future past ways to avoid his aunt's and uncle's wrath.

"I have no idea," he answered truthfully. "What about you?"

Ginny smiled tentatively through her tears. "I don't know. I mean, I pretended when I was little, but I imagine that doesn't count."

"I don't suppose so," Harry agreed. "I didn't really understand most of what Adoyrak was talking about."

"Me neither."

Harry glanced over at her shyly. "So, I haven't pretended too much. What did you do when you pretended you were married?"

Ginny's cheeks flushed pink and she averted her gaze. "Er, I usually would set up some dolls around a table and have tea parties, that sort of thing, but that was when I was five."

"Oh," Harry said and then perked up. "That sounds about right, though. My aunt would have her friends over for tea all the time while my uncle was at work."

"I doubt my mum is going to let us have tea parties anytime soon," Ginny glumly admitted.

Harry thought that more than likely that was very true and upon further reflection also thought there was probably a lot more to being married than having tea parties. However, he was not in the right frame of mind to even contemplate what that really meant. From the way Mrs Weasley had reacted to the news, he could only deduce that the two of them having tea parties was the least of her worries.

That thought led him back to wondering what the adults could be discussing and the desire to find out first hand.

"Maybe we should go back inside," he suggested. "Regardless of how confused we may be, I think we have a right to know what they are discussing."

He stood up and waited patiently for Ginny to as well. When she did, he was surprised when she took his hand once again. Almost immediately some of the tension he was feeling abated and he felt a little bit stronger.

"I – I feel better when I hold your hand," she whispered. "Even though we are in a mess, I'm really glad you're here, Harry."

"Me, too," Harry assured her. Taking a deep breath, they headed back inside.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Arthur Weasley sat in his favourite armchair in the sitting room of The Burrow trying to figure out how his day had turned so completely upside down. Before Fawkes had arrived with the urgent message from Albus Dumbledore, he had been preparing to take a long lunch. He had planned to Apparate to Hyde Park for a bit of his favourite pastime; Muggle watching. Muggles were such fascinating beings and were able to come up with such extraordinary creations to compensate for the lack of magic in their lives. Listening to Molly and Albus argue over what was to be done with Ginny and Harry made Arthur wonder if perhaps it would be nice to live in ignorant bliss, as the Muggles appeared to do. He doubted very much if Muggles had to concern themselves with their nearly ten-year-old daughters soul bonding with strange eleven-year-old boys.

Molly sat on the edge of the floral print chair she sat in every evening to knit, intent on extracting every last bit of information Albus Dumbledore may have regarding soul bonds. Professor McGonagall sat beside the headmaster on the threadbare burgundy couch, and looked very much how Arthur felt, as if a Bludger had just slammed into her abdomen.

"Albus," Molly started, pulling the wilted yellow buttercups from her robe pocket. "Please tell me how this is possible? These grow on the hillside behind the house, and part of me still wants to believe that is where Ginny picked them, but she seemed so certain."

"That's because she was and is certain," Albus replied. "Those appeared to be freshly picked when she presented them to you."

"They were," Molly agreed. "Albus, how serious is this situation? Adoyrak made it sound like life or death."

Albus settled his elbows on his knees, steepled his fingers together and looked grimly between Arthur, Molly, and Professor McGonagall. "Unfortunately, as was made evident by Harry's and Ginny's violent reactions when you attempted to depart Gringotts this afternoon, I have to agree with Adoyrak."

"So, their lives are in danger?" Arthur asked, leaning forward in his seat as well.

"Only if we attempt to separate them again," Albus concurred. "This, of course, brings up another complication which is the fact that Harry is supposed to begin Hogwarts in the fall."

"And just how do you suggest he do that?" Molly asked in surprise.

"It would be possible if you allowed Ginny to attend as well," Albus suggested.

Arthur jerked his head towards the headmaster in surprise. He knew if he wasn't ready for Ginny to attend Hogwarts, there was no possibility of his wife agreeing to that preposterous suggestion. Ginny was their baby. It was hard enough watching the last of their boys, Ron, leave the nest let alone allowing Ginny to start school a whole year sooner.

"Absolutely not!" Molly bristled. "She is not ready for that."

"I think you are already discovering that you do not give Ginny as much credit as she deserves," Albus reminded Molly and Arthur wished he could have warned the headmaster that he was playing with fire.

"Whether you think she is ready is beside the point," Molly seethed. "She is my child and I am telling you she will not be attending Hogwarts this year."

"Albus," Professor McGonagall intervened. "We couldn't possibly accommodate them. Any special quarters we created would cause undue suspicion amongst the student body."

Albus sighed deeply as he nodded his agreement with this statement and looked between Molly and Arthur. "Are you prepared to care for the two of them over the next year?"

Molly puffed her breath out in exasperation. "I've raised six boys to date. I may still be in shock over this entire situation, but I think I am more than prepared, Albus."

"The bulk of the responsibility will lie with you to prepare them so they may attend Hogwarts next year," Albus continued. "I will endeavour, with your permission, to send tutors when I can to aide them in both strengthening and concealing the bond. It is a great advantage to us that the Ministry does not yet recognize their union, nor is it likely to do so anytime soon. Gringotts has no reason to divulge the information, nor is any outside source going to inquire about it."

Arthur cleared his throat uncomfortably. "But, technically, regardless of whether the Ministry acknowledges the bond, Ginny and Harry are married?"

"Yes," Albus answered simply.

"I don't think either Molly or I need to tell you how troubling that notion is," Arthur remarked.

"Do not think of it in normal terms of being married," Albus explained. "They are not ready mentally or physically for the kind of connotation one would normally associate with marriage. At this moment, this bonding signifies nothing more to them than a closer connection to a good friend. I think it would be best to treat them as normally as possible. The less you make of it the better it will be for you and for them."

"There's no getting around the fact that they can hardly be separated, Albus," Molly acidly remarked.

Albus chuckled. "True, but I am sure you can accommodate them in a chaste manner fitting for their ages. Separate beds in the same room should suffice, don't you think?"

"In our room," Molly huffed and Arthur silently agreed.

"Whatever you feel is best, Molly," Albus replied. "As I have said, the sooner we can begin work on strengthening the bond, the sooner they will be able to function independently of one another."

"Ginny and I think we have a right to know what you are discussing," a determined voice announced before Molly could respond to the headmaster.

Arthur turned, surprised to see Harry and Ginny standing in the doorway of the sitting room hand-in-hand and looking extremely scared and yet unwavering at the same time. He was not ready to see his daughter on the cusp of womanhood, and he most definitely was not ready for her to have a boyfriend, let alone a husband. She was still his little girl, who needed him when she skinned an elbow or knee or for him to occasionally read to her at night if she wasn't feeling well. In the blink of an eye he felt those moments slipping away from him and irrationally, like his wife, he wanted to blame the boy standing next to her who had just spoken.

However, not knowing Harry's background excepting what Ginny had revealed in Adoyrak's office, Arthur had to admire the boy to have even an ounce of courage to stand up to a roomful of strange adults. Just from outward appearance alone, it was clear the Muggles, whose care Harry had been under, had neglected him horribly. Regardless of all of that, Arthur's first priority had to be for the welfare of his own daughter.

He glanced over at Molly who was gazing at the two children with narrowed eyes. "You two are supposed to be resting in the kitchen with your brothers, Ginny," Molly admonished.

"Those gits were threatening Harry," Ginny said protectively of her new companion. It was the same tone of voice she used when the boys made fun of Luna Lovegood and Ginny came to the defence of her odd but faithful best friend.

"I am sure they were not," Molly reprimanded firmly, staring hard at Ginny. Arthur knew his wife did not like seeing Ginny holding Harry's hand any more than he did and was attempting to convey her displeasure silently. However, Ginny was very much her mother's daughter and she stared back defiantly and if Arthur was not mistaken, squeezed Harry's hand tighter. Harry winced from the apparent pressure, and Arthur would have laughed aloud if he weren't so dismayed by the day's events.

"They were too!" Ginny retorted, stamping her foot in punctuation.

"Ginny," Harry warned quietly and Arthur watched in amazement as his daughter deflated nearly as quickly as she had exploded. He'd never seen anyone have that effect on her, not even Luna, and he had no idea what to make of it.

"Well," Albus interjected. "I think Harry and Ginny are correct. They have every right to know what it is we are discussing."

Arthur settled back into his favourite armchair while Ginny pulled Harry into the room and was about to sit on the hearthrug when Albus cleared his throat in apology.

"It would appear we have taken all the seats," he said and pulling his wand from his sleeve waved it by the children. Harry jumped a foot to the side, his eyes widening in surprise as a small purple velvet settee twinkled into view and plopped on the hearthrug in front of them. Arthur observed as Harry touched the arm of the settee, his jaw dropping in disbelief that a solid object could just appear out of thin air. Ginny nudged him gently as she sat down and he tentatively took a seat next to her.

"Now," Albus continued after the children were settled. "Harry, you are supposed to start school in a month; however, with the current state of the bond between yourself and Ginny, I fear that may not be possible."

Harry's face fell at this news and Ginny's brow furrowed in despair.

"It is not a reason to become dismayed," Albus said kindly. "It also means you will not be returning to Privet Drive, Harry. From the reports I have received from Hagrid and Professor McGonagall, I think we can agree this is for the best. You will be staying here at The Burrow with Ginny and her parents."

A look of unfathomable relief filled Harry's bright green eyes as this information sank in and Arthur again had to wonder what the boy's life had been like before today. He would have to ask Albus about it after the dust had settled.

"Now, it is growing late and I am sure the two of you must be exhausted after the day's events," Albus said, effectively ending any further discussion. "Professor McGonagall and I will take leave of you. However, before I depart, Arthur, if you would be so kind as to escort me around the perimeter of your property, I would very much like to check that the wards are in place."

Arthur nodded and rose from his seat. Harry remained frozen to his spot on the settee and it would appear that Ginny was somehow attempting to console him without using any words. The sight was baffling to Arthur and as he led the two professors to the door, Harry visibly sagged against the arm of the chair in weary relief. Molly had also risen and was fussing over Ginny and to some extent Harry.

Arthur headed out the back door and down the garden path, followed closely by Albus and Minerva. When they reached the garden gate, they stepped out into the lane and turned to face The Burrow. The windows glowed warmly in the waning evening light and it looked deceptively peaceful.

"Minerva," Albus said. "Thank you for your help today. Your presence, as always, was a well needed rock."

"I did little, Albus," Minerva replied before turning to Arthur. "Arthur, I wish you luck in the upcoming months, but I know that if anyone is up to the task at hand, it is you."

"Thank you, Minerva," Arthur murmured, glad for her vote of confidence even if he still felt completely out of his element.

"I'll return to Hogwarts, Albus, and be in my office if you have any further need of me this evening," Minerva said.

Albus nodded his head and the headmistress promptly twisted on the spot and disappeared with a small pop. Without another word, Albus withdrew his wand and began walking along the fence line, while Arthur followed closely behind.

"We need to work diligently on strengthening the bond between Harry and Ginny," Albus said after a few moments. "When I return to Hogwarts this evening I will begin researching ways to do this safely. The sooner Harry and Ginny are able to be separated from one another the better."

"Why is that?" Arthur pressed.

"As you work in the Ministry," Albus said. "I do not think I need remind you what would happen if the Department of Mysteries discovered Harry's and Ginny's connection. A soul bond such as theirs has not been recorded in over a thousand years."

"They'd be studied," Arthur answered.

"Not to mention, if any of Lord Voldemort's remaining followers were to discover the truth," Albus continued.

"Do you really think they are still a threat?" Arthur asked in disbelief.

"I would not discount them too lightly," Albus replied. "We should always be on our guard."

"Is my family in danger taking that boy in?" Arthur asked, watching Albus wave his wand, casting a glowing rainbow-hued ward that cascaded down over The Burrow and its surroundings. "What is that ward?"

"That is the soul ward," Albus answered. "Death Eaters will not be able to easily track Harry and Ginny as long as they can call The Burrow their home. It is a complicated ward, involving ancient magic and based on Ginny's blood-ties to you and Molly as well as her soul bond to Harry. In answer to your previous question, Arthur, Harry is now part of your family whether you take him in or not. I do not believe your family is in any more danger this evening than they were this morning."

"That's an awfully cryptic answer, Albus," Arthur said.

"It's the only one I can give you," Albus said. "For now, I must be off, but I will return after you have settled."

Arthur nodded mutely and stepped back as Albus Apparated away. In the near silence of the lane, all Arthur could hear was the faint chirrup of crickets hidden in the grass of the garden and an occasional grunt from a garden gnome. He imagined he should enjoy the peace and solitude for a moment longer, as he doubted there would be much of it within his home for many days to come.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Severus Snape was surprised when Albus summoned him to his office. He had spent the day taking inventory of his potions cupboard in preparation for the upcoming school year and had planned on spending the evening organizing his lesson plans. The past ten years he had spent as a professor teaching potions at Hogwarts had to be the most uneventful years of his entire life. Aside from errant students, most especially the Weasley twins, his days were fairly the same. He had enjoyed the quiet and solitude being a teacher had offered him during the summer and winter holidays, as he much preferred not to share the company of other witches and wizards. The only wizard he could bear to spend any amount of time with was Albus Dumbledore. Albus was the only one who knew everything there was to know about Severus and aside from that horrible day ten years ago, never judged him.

"Fudge Flies," he said when he approached the gargoyle statue and it opened immediately to reveal the spiral staircase that led to the headmaster's office. Riding the stairs to the top, Severus paused outside the thick, wooden door and knocked. He heard Albus' reply of 'come in' and pushed the door open to reveal the headmaster sitting at his desk, perusing through a very large and thick tome. By the brownish-yellow tint of the thin parchment pages, Severus could deduce that the book must be ancient.

"Ah, Severus," Albus called in greeting as Severus approached the desk and took a seat in a plush red velvet chair that sat opposite the headmaster. "Thank you for coming. I have had a most eventful day and find I am in need of your assistance."

"Regarding?" Severus asked, wondering what possibly could have occurred on what should have been an ordinary day.

"I was called to Diagon Alley unexpectedly this morning where I bore witness to a most fascinating event," Albus explained, looking up at Severus. "I observed a soul bond between two young magical children. It was quite extraordinary."

Severus quirked an eyebrow in disbelief and barely contained a snort of derision. "Albus, soul bonds have been the talk of legend for centuries. No one even remembers how to initiate one or when the last recorded soul bond was, for that matter."

"Ah, not so, Severus," Albus said in that way that always made him feel like he was a first year student who didn't know anything. "Adoyrak, the head goblin of Gringotts reminded me once again today how important it is for us wizards not to discount other magical creatures and the knowledge they hold. He knows quite a bit about soul bonds, including the last one recorded over 1700 years ago."

Severus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Albus had lectured him before on the importance of overcoming any prejudices he held against other magical creatures, but goblins were known for their manipulative, conniving ways. It was extremely difficult for him to believe the goblin didn't have some ulterior motive for insisting a soul bond had been formed today. However, he had to admit his curiosity had been piqued as he assumed Albus knew it would be and he pressed for more information.

"Very well, Albus," he sighed, playing along with the game. "Why do you need my assistance? As you have already indicated, I know very little regarding soul bonds."

"Yes," Albus agreed. "You and I both will have to do our research. However, the circumstances surrounding this particular soul bond are peculiar and I would greatly appreciate your opinion as it pertains to potions."

Severus furrowed his brow in consternation. "Potions?"

"You see," Albus began. "Molly Weasley's nearly ten-year-old daughter, Ginevra Weasley is one half of the bonded couple. Her mother informed me that a little over a week ago her daughter brewed Aphrodite's Destiny and drank it. The results were not normal for that potion and Molly was concerned it was the cause of the soul bond. I tried to assure her that that could not be the case, but I would like a second opinion."

This time Severus allowed his snort of derision to be heard. "Aphrodite's Destiny is a silly potion created by an equally silly witch to dupe young girls into thinking they are going to see the face of their true love. It has no magical properties and is nothing more than a complicated way to make tea."

Albus warmly smiled over at him. "Ah, Severus, as always you surprise me at how very little you believe in true love or romance of any sort."

"Romance between children is impossible," Severus said. "They all are self-centred brats who can only think about themselves, and that potion is rubbish."

"Yes, I agree with you that at such tender ages, the children would be incapable of romance in the sense that you and I think of it," Albus agreed. "However, I did not find either Ginny or the boy she bonded with to exhibit selfish behaviour in the slightest. Both were equally concerned for the other."

"So you say, Albus. You have my opinion, is that all?" Severus asked.

"Not quite, Severus," Albus said, dashing his hopes of retiring early and sorting his lesson plans. "Are you not interested to know who Ginny Weasley bonded with?"

"Why is that of importance to me?" Severus asked. "Some poor, unsuspecting wizard boy is now saddled with a Weasley. I wish him luck."

"Now, Severus," Albus reprimanded him. "The Weasleys are a wonderful family. You are merely judging them all by the pranks of Fred and George."

"They set my potions lab on fire at the end of last term and all you did was slap them on the wrists," Severus pouted. He did not find setting Dr Filibuster' Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks off inside a boiling cauldron of fire water to be very creative or humorous whatsoever, but apparently the headmaster had thought differently.

"No one was harmed by the prank and everyone, excepting you, enjoyed the display, Severus," Albus replied. "They were forced to clean up the classroom and put it back to rights. That seemed to be an appropriate punishment for the crime."

"I have always said you are entirely too sympathetic and soft towards the student body and I stand behind that," Severus warned.

"I believe in second chances for everyone. You, of all people, should know that," Albus said, to which Severus held his tongue and said nothing further regarding the matter of the Weasley twins.

"You have made your point," he conceded. "Now, since it is apparently important that I know all the details, who is the boy involved?"

"Harry Potter," Albus said evenly, staring directly at his face. Severus was proud that he steeled his emotions and all that escaped was a sneer.

"How very interesting, Albus. Thank you for sharing your momentous news."

Severus didn't even want to think about the Potter boy. It had been bad enough that the boy would be starting his career at Hogwarts in the fall. He had been trying to put that thought from his mind until the very last second, as he wasn't quite sure how he was going to be able to look at the boy every day, let alone teach him. And now, Albus had added the knowledge that Harry was irrevocably attached to a red-headed girl, no less. It was as if it was starting all over again, and Severus was destined to spend his life in silent torment.

"That is not amusing, Albus," Severus tonelessly remarked.

Albus looked anything but happy about the revelation. In fact, he looked the exact opposite, and if Severus was not mistaken, perhaps a bit frightened. "What is it?" he pressed.

"The bond negated the protection Lily afforded Harry when she died," Albus explained.

This gave Severus pause, as he knew Albus had been counting on Lily's blood protection to protect Harry until he was of age. This was disturbing news, as it would make the job the headmaster had given him of helping to keep Harry alive that much harder.

"It also means that Ginny's life is in as much danger as Harry's," Albus continued.

Severus sighed. "Are you certain?"

"The wards around Privet Drive have disintegrated," Albus confirmed. "I re-established them around the Weasley home using the thin thread of connection Harry and Ginny now share. In many ways the new wards are much stronger than the blood ward ever was, but that does not change the fact that now we have two lives that, even as we speak are becoming further intertwined, leaving Harry's fate, Ginny's as well."

"Are you so certain that the Dark Lord will return, Albus?" Severus asked. "He has been gone for ten years now. Perhaps we are worried for nothing."

Albus shook his head. "There have been rumours and stirrings in Albania, Severus. He is still alive in some form and looking to return in full force, hence why I have taken it upon myself to guard Nicholas' Philosopher's Stone." He pulled a small, lumpy parcel from his robe pocket and set it on his desk between them. Severus watched as the headmaster unwrapped the bundle to reveal a chunky, unassuming red rock.

"So, we will be guarding that as well as protecting Harry this year, Albus?" Severus asked, already resigned to a year that would be quite unlike his past ten at Hogwarts.

"Oh, our job has become that much more difficult, Severus," Albus sighed. "You see, the bond between Harry and Ginny has weakened them considerably. They are currently inseparable as their young bodies adjust to the power of the bond. They must grow into it, and therefore Harry will not be attending Hogwarts this year as we had planned. We will have to work with them to help them strengthen their skills."

"We?" Severus asked, not liking where this train of thought was leading.

"I would very much like for you to help them," Albus said. "Perhaps you can create a potion that will help them endure greater separation until they are able to do it on their own. If nothing more, I would like you to train both of them in Occlumency."

Severus snorted again. "Occlumency is advanced magic, both are too young to even begin to comprehend, let alone perform. Not to mention that if the boy is anything like his father, he will be too full of his own self-importance to try."

"I think you will find that Harry inherited more from Lily than just her eyes, Severus," Albus said. "I need you to put aside your ill feelings towards James Potter. Harry and Ginny do not know it, but they desperately need your help or all is lost before it has even begun. If Lord Voldemort does return and he should hear of their link, I do not care to think of the lengths he would go to to see them destroyed. I believe this soul bond very well may help Harry if he ever has to face the Dark Lord again and we must guard it to the very end. Do you understand, Severus?"

Severus nodded mutely. Yes, he understood. Without a second thought, the Dark Lord had taken from him the only thing he had ever loved and cared for in the world. Severus, in his youthful ignorance had lost Lily Evans long before that fateful Halloween night, however, and he had been attempting to make up for the innocent love and friendship he had callously thrown away. Despite how difficult it would be for him, he would see to it that her son did not suffer a similar fate or he would die trying. It was all he could give his long dead best friend, and he hoped it would be enough to gain her forgiveness in the after-life.


	2. Chapter 2 - Discoveries

**Author's Note: **Not much to say except many thanks to Arnel, Brennus, and seekers_destiny for their outstanding beta work. Enjoy!

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Molly pulled one lumpy, grey piece of clothing after another out of the carpetbag Minerva had just set upon her kitchen table, unable to hide the dismay from her face.

"What are these, Minerva?" she asked when she had pulled out a pair of grey pants that looked to be the right size for a baby elephant. "I thought you were bringing the rest of Harry's things."

Minerva frowned at the pile of clothes sitting in the middle of the table and from where a faint putrid odour was emanating.

"These are his things," she insisted. "His aunt unceremoniously thrust them into my arms before asking me to leave. If I hadn't promised Albus I wouldn't make a scene I am afraid I would have hexed her. As it is, I think she will find that all of her prize hydrangea bushes have withered and died."

Molly raised her eyebrows in surprise at her former teacher before looking inside the bag once more.

"Where are his books and toys?" she asked. "Certainly even Muggles give their children toys."

Minerva reached inside the bag, feeling around for a moment before pulling out a couple of broken figures that may have been a horse and soldier at some point in their existence. She set them on the table next to the clothes. Molly's brow furrowed in further dismay at the sad spectacle.

"Hagrid informs me they were not very nice to Harry," Minerva confided, her eyes flicking towards the sitting room where Harry and Ginny were sitting playing Exploding Snap, before she continued, "Apparently they ran away, hoping to keep Harry from receiving his Hogwarts letters. Hagrid said he finally tracked the four of them down in a rundown shack on an island in the middle of the sea. Poor Harry was huddled on the floor with nothing but a tattered blanket to keep him warm when Hagrid arrived.

"He does not have a kind word to say about Harry's relatives, and from what I witnessed today, I am inclined to agree with him. I managed to catch a glimpse of Harry's cousin, as his mother answered the door, playing with all manner of Muggle toys in the sitting room. He ran up the stairs at first sight of me, and I swear I thought I saw a pig's tail sticking out of his trousers. Hagrid's doing, no doubt. At any rate, as he ran away, I noticed the walls all along the staircase only contained pictures of him. These clothes look to be hand-me-downs from him, I suspect."

"But this awful colour," Molly expressed, picking up a dingy flannel shirt.

"Dyed," Minerva surmised. "Hagrid said Harry's aunt and uncle claimed they were trying to stamp the magic out of him."

An explosion and subsequent yelp from the sitting room caused both women to jump and hurry to the door. Ginny was laughing uproariously at Harry, whose face was singed around the eyes.

"I warned you to not lean in so close," Ginny giggled, and Harry grinned widely.

"This is brilliant," he enthused, not at all upset at having nearly been scorched.

"He really had no idea until yesterday?" Molly asked in a hushed tone, turning away from the door, unseen by the two children sitting on the floor.

"No, he did not," Minerva confirmed. "His relatives never told him. Hagrid had to explain everything to him about himself and his parents. Apparently, Harry's aunt told him they were drunkards who were killed in a car crash."

Molly sighed, glancing back at the two children who had started a new game. "He seems to be taking it all in stride. Did you see the _Prophet_ this morning?"

"Yes," Minerva said, unable to hide her disdain as she glanced down at the paper sticking out from underneath the pile of smelly clothes.

A large picture of Harry and Hagrid walking down Diagon Alley covered most of the front page with the enthusiastic headline: First Sighting in Ten Years of the Boy Who Lived! Exclusive article with interviews on page two!

"His appearance in the Leaky Cauldron yesterday caused nearly as much of a stir as You-Know-Who's defeat ten years ago," Minerva continued.

"Thankfully, there wasn't any mention of his encounter with us," Molly breathed, having scoured the article as soon as the paper had been delivered that morning.

"Thank heavens," Minerva agreed.

Molly turned her attention back to the pile of clothes, if they could be called that, still sitting in the middle of her kitchen table. None of them were salvageable, even with magic. She would have to toss the lot and look through Ron's old clothes. She was certain there were several things that would be closer to Harry's size. After he had fallen asleep the night before she had examined the clothes he had been wearing as well as his shoes. The clothes were in a similar state to the ones Minerva had brought and his shoes were far too big, with old socks stuffed in the toes to help prevent him tripping over his feet. Unfortunately, Molly didn't have any spare shoes in Harry's size, but she had shrunk his trainers for the time being until they could make a trip to the village to purchase a new pair. Waving her wand, she Vanished the miserable excuses for clothes.

"Well," she declared. "I'll have to find some things of Ron's that will suit Harry."

"I shall leave you to that," Minerva remarked, gathering up the now empty carpetbag. "I need to return to Hogwarts and prepare for the upcoming year. I suspect I'll have another Weasley in my House this year."

Molly nodded absentmindedly, her eyes drifting back towards the sitting room, where Ginny and Harry were now huddled by the cage that contained the snowy owl Hagrid had given the boy yesterday.

"Try not to worry too much, Molly," Minerva offered. "It will all work out."

"I hope so," Molly replied.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

"What should I name her?" Harry asked, staring into the amber eyes of the white owl. He tentatively reached through the bars of the cage and stroked her downy feathers. She twittered softly and bent her head to nip gently at his hand.

"I think she likes you!" Ginny beamed enthusiastically.

"You think so?" Harry asked, glancing over at the red-headed girl.

Ginny nodded her head. "She's much livelier than our owl, Errol. Of course, Errol is ancient, so he can't really help it, I suppose."

Harry looked back at the owl, who was gazing at him expectantly. Unlocking the cage, he eased the door open and she immediately hopped out to perch on his arm. Harry jumped in shock as her talons gently pricked his arm through his baggy sleeve, and Ginny giggled beside him. Picking up the bag of treats Hagrid had also given Harry, Ginny dumped a few into the palm of her hand and held them out to the owl. The bird gracefully dipped her head to pluck the treats out of her hand, much to Ginny's delight.

Harry smiled. "She likes you, too."

Ginny's smile grew broader. "Do you, girl?" The owl cooed happily and nudged Ginny's hand with her head. "Well, either that's a yes or she wants more treats." She eyed the owl speculatively. "Now, what should your name be?"

"Vanessa?" Harry asked, but the way Ginny scrunched up her nose and the owl hissed mournfully was enough for him to know neither liked that name.

"Ursula," Ginny suggested. "She was a notable witch a long time ago."

If owls could glare, Harry was certain the look the owl was giving Ginny would pass as such.

"I don't think so," Harry tentatively said.

"No, I suppose not," Ginny agreed, turning to peruse the spines of a few books that sat upon a shelf by the window. "Winifred?"

"No," Harry answered as the owl hooted a distinctive 'no' as well. Harry joined Ginny in looking over the books. None of the names of the authors sounded all that appealing, and Harry was about to give up when a name popped out at him.

"Hedwig," he announced just as Ginny did the same, and the snowy owl hooted her happy approval. Harry looked over at Ginny, and their eyes locked as they smiled. The newly named Hedwig nipped affectionately at Harry's ear before hopping off his arm to settle on her roost within her cage. Tucking her head under her wing was her signal that she would be taking a small nap before heading off to hunt later in the day.

Closing the cage door, Harry glanced around the room, wondering where Ginny's brothers had gone. After breakfast, Percy had disappeared back upstairs to his room, but Ron and the twins had scampered outside and hadn't been seen since.

"Ron and the twins are probably in the paddock," Ginny offered.

Harry jerked his head towards her. "How'd you know that was what I was thinking?"

Ginny shrugged, and smiled slightly. "I don't know. Same way we picked Hedwig's name."

"What are you brothers doing in the paddock?" Harry asked.

"Flying, most likely," Ginny commented and felt the unexpected thrill of excitement from Harry. "Do you want to go see?"

Harry nodded his head enthusiastically and jumping up, Ginny ran towards the kitchen door with Harry close on her heels.

"Mum!" Ginny called as they entered. "Can Harry and I go down to the paddock and watch Ron and the twins fly?"

Mrs Weasley stood by the table upon which sat a basket of clothes, and she paused in folding a blue plaid shirt to look over at Ginny. Harry hovered behind her, his green eyes wide with fear that she was going to say no.

With a sigh, Ginny's mother relented. "I suppose that would be all right, but you are only to go straight to the paddock and straight back. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mum!" Ginny gushed. "Thanks, Mum!" She turned, nearly bumping into Harry, and giggled. "Whoops! Sorry, Harry! Come on!"

Grabbing his hand, she ran out the back door and down the garden path, past her father's shed and turned right onto a narrower path that wound through a small copse of trees. They emerged on the other side into an open clearing to see her three brothers swooping over their heads, flying on brooms. Harry had seen the brooms for sale in a shop window yesterday during his visit to Diagon Alley, but with everything else that had happened he had completely forgotten until this moment that apparently magical folk could fly. Fred and George were passing a lumpy looking ball between them as they headed towards Ron, who hovered uncertainly in front of some makeshift baskets hanging from the trees behind him.

"What are they doing?" Harry asked, staring in amazement at the three boys flying on something he had always thought was for sweeping the floor.

"Playing Quidditch, sort of," Ginny replied.

Immediately she felt Harry's puzzlement before he asked, "What's Quidditch?"

Ginny turned and gawked at him a moment. "It's our sport, and it's loads of fun! There are seven players to a team, usually. Three Chasers, who try to score points with the Quaffle, two Beaters, who hit two other balls called Bludgers at opposing players to make them drop the Quaffle, a Keeper, who guards the three goal posts, and a Seeker who catches a small golden ball called a Snitch.

"Fred and George are Beaters for the Gryffindor team, but today they are playing against each other and have talked Ron into being a Keeper. He's just learning to fly so, as you can see, he's bit wobbly on the broom."

"It sounds complicated," Harry surmised.

"It's not, really," Ginny replied, gazing up at her brothers. "All my brothers, except for Percy, love to play Quidditch. Bill was never on the House team at school, but he loved to play during the summers here, and Charlie was a Seeker for the Gryffindor House team."

Harry jerked his head towards Ginny. "You have two more brothers?"

"Erm, yeah," Ginny answered sheepishly.

At that moment, Fred lobbed the Quaffle towards Ron, who wobbled on his broom as he dodged to avoid being clobbered by it and it plopped into the middle basket. Ron regained his balance and went to retrieve the Quaffle as George, spying Ginny and Harry, headed their way. He zoomed towards them and Harry ducked his head, fearful George was going to crash into them. Instead, the older boy pulled up at the last moment and landed somewhat clumsily in front of them.

"Thought I was going to buzz you, didn't you?" he gloated, causing Harry to goggle up at him and Ginny to glare.

"That wasn't funny, George!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Aw, Ginny, it was all in fun," George replied before turning his attention back to Harry. "Ever been on a broom before, Harry?"

Harry shook his head, staring in amazement at the broom George held clamped in his hand. The smile on George's face broadened at this and he dropped the broom at Harry's feet.

"Give it a go, then," he offered.

Harry eyed the broom warily, wondering why George was suddenly being so nice, when yesterday he had looked like he would very much like to tear his head off.

"Why are you suddenly being so nice?" Ginny asked, sounding as wary as Harry felt.

George shrugged and looked back at Harry. "Do you want to have a go or not? I know Ginny here has nicked my broom from time to time and can fly, but can you?"

Harry really wanted to try, but was afraid of making a complete fool of himself in front of Ginny's brothers. She squeezed his hand reassuringly, eliciting a raised eyebrow from George and nothing more. "Go on, Harry," she said. "I know you want to."

George stepped back to allow him some room. He tentatively reached his hand out to grab the broom handle, but before he could do so, it sprang into his open palm. He instinctively wrapped his fingers around the wooden handle and could feel the vibration running up his arm.

Both George and Ginny wore nearly identical looks of surprise on their faces. "Blimey, Harry," George uttered. "You didn't even speak. All first timers usually have a time of it getting a broom to respond to them. Especially a broom that belongs to someone else."

Ginny's eyes narrowed in suspicion at this and she glanced over at her brother. "Were you hoping to humiliate him?"

George looked slightly guilty at this question and she punched him hard in the shoulder. "You git!"

"Ow! That hurt!" he yelped, rubbing his shoulder. "I didn't see you telling him how to pick up a broom!"

Ginny looked slightly abashed and looked over at Harry. "I didn't think to. I just assumed you would know, Harry."

"It's all right," he said with a smile. Now that he was holding the broom, he felt he had an idea what to do next and didn't care that George had intended to laugh at his failure. He tentatively swung his leg over the broom handle and gripped it tighter with both hands as it automatically began rising until his feet were no longer touching the ground.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, adjusting his position until he felt more firmly seated on the broom. He hovered there a moment, glancing about to see where Ron and Fred were. They had taken the time George had spent chatting with Harry and Ginny to practice throwing the Quaffle between them. It was obvious Ron wasn't as sure on his broom as his brothers and remained stationary, while Fred gracefully flew back and forth in front of him.

Aiming the broom in their direction, Harry rocketed off towards them, and George whooped in excitement from below him. The feel of the air blowing through his hair was amazing and Harry set his sights on intercepting the Quaffle Fred was preparing to throw to Ron. As he drew closer, he reached out his right arm towards it and was just about to curl his arm around the spinning ball when he felt his heart clench in his chest and his breathing became laboured. This was the same feeling he had experienced yesterday when Mrs Weasley had dragged Ginny out of Adoyrak's office.

Belatedly, Harry realized he had flown too far from where Ginny had been standing. He became unbalanced on the broom, and bright spots of colour popped before his eyes. Jerking the handle up violently, Harry turned the broom around, holding on for dear life in time to see George rushing towards him, half dragging and carrying Ginny.

Harry plunged to the ground, still gripping the broom and felt what little wind he had left in him knocked out as he hit the hard packed earth. George came to a stop, and Ginny sagged to her knees next to Harry, breathing heavily.

"S-sorry," Harry muttered. "I forgot."

"S'okay," Ginny murmured. "So did I."

Ron and Fred landed nearby and rushed over.

"Blimey! I've never seen flying like that from a first-timer! What happened?" Fred demanded, looking between the two winded children.

"Harry and I can't be separated," Ginny replied once she had caught her breath. "We forgot."

"Doesn't look like that's something you should forget," George soberly observed.

"Why can't you be separated?" Ron asked.

"Ginny began hyperventilating not long after Harry kicked off," George commented. "Is this why Harry has to stay with us?"

"Yes," Ginny said, helping Harry sit up. "Are you all right, Harry? You hit the ground pretty hard." Her brown eyes shined with the concern radiating off her.

"Yeah," Harry said.

Ginny rubbed his shoulder reassuringly before looking over at her three brothers. "Don't tell Mum, please?"

"Are you sure you two are all right?" George asked uncertainly.

Both Ginny and Harry nodded and Ginny spoke for the both of them. "Yes. This is something we have to get used to, but she'll worry unnecessarily."

Ron made a face of disgust. "So, you two always have to be close together and touching?"

Ginny glared at him. "Oh, grow up, Ron! It's not gross to touch girls!"

"If you say so," Ron said, still looking as if she and Harry had a disease.

"Adoyrak said our bond would grow stronger in time and then we could be separated," Ginny explained. "But for now, it's so new, we can't be far from each other because it's too weak, I suppose."

"So," Fred began, "How do you..."

"Strengthen the bond?" George finished.

"Because, if Harry is that good of a flier his first time around," Fred said.

"We want him on the Quidditch team when he comes to Hogwarts!" George announced.

"What about me?" Ron carped, glaring at his older brothers.

"When Ollie goes, Ronniekins, you can be Keeper," Fred assured.

"But we're short a Seeker now," George stated. "We'll have to make do with the dregs that we have to choose from, but next year, Harry, maybe we can talk Professor McGonagall into making an exception for a firstie."

"What if he isn't Sorted into Gryffindor?" Fred asked, looking over at George, aghast.

"Of course, he'll be in Gryffindor!" George declared. "He was brave enough to bond with our little sister, wasn't he?"

"Are you two serious?" Ginny incredulously asked. "Yesterday you looked like you wanted to eat Harry alive!"

"Yeah," George admitted. "But that was before..."

"We saw him fly!" Fred announced, before eyeing Harry speculatively. "Speaking of which, if you didn't know you were a wizard, how do you know how to fly already?"

"I don't know," Harry answered, a puzzled look on his face, "But it felt natural, almost like breathing."

At that moment, Percy strode out of the copse into the clearing, and upon seeing them, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's going on here?" he demanded, his shining golden Prefect badge glittering in the sunlight.

"Argh, Percy!" Fred barked, ignoring the question and shading his eyes with his hand. "Are you trying to blind us?"

"I'm seeing spots!" George complained, squeezing his eyes shut and feeling the air dramatically in front of him. "Where did everybody go?"

"There should be a law against over shining a Prefect badge," Fred exclaimed. He cracked one eye open to peer over at Percy. "Oh, wait, I think you missed a spot."

"Where?" Percy asked in alarm and pulling his shirt away from his chest to gain a better look at his badge.

Fred and George howled with laughter and Percy dropped his shirt to glare at them.

"Mum asked me to tell you lot lunch was ready," he ground out, looking sternly at the twins.

"Great!" Ron exclaimed, leaving them behind without another word or backward glance as he ran up to path towards the house.

"In case you haven't noticed, Harry," Fred offered. "Ron is always hungry."

"We'd better hurry up and follow him before he eats it all," George remarked, and the twins quickly hurried up the path, as well.

Percy stood staring down at Harry and Ginny, making Harry feel distinctly uncomfortable again. He stood up and brushed at his clothes as Ginny did the same beside him.

"You two look tired," Percy observed. "What were you doing out here?"

"Watching Fred, George, and Ron play," Ginny petulantly answered. "What else would we have been doing?"

"Did you try to fly a broom?" he pressed. "I wouldn't put it past Fred and George to put you up to it. You two are far too young to be participating in such endeavours. You could get hurt."

Ginny rolled her eyes at this and Harry felt the twinge of her annoyance with her older brother. He glanced over at her to see her glaring up at Percy.

"We are not babies!" she exclaimed, stamping her foot. Harry noticed she seemed to do that a lot.

"You're not adults either," Percy firmly replied, looking pointedly between her and Harry. Harry refrained from cowering under his stern gaze. He was beginning to deduce that perhaps Percy was all talk, and little more. All the same, they followed behind him as he led them back towards The Burrow, and Harry couldn't help smiling over his first broom ride, which had been quite exhilarating. He couldn't wait until the day he'd be able to try it again. Despite everything, and the uncertainty he was still feeling about Ginny's family, he had to say he was beginning to think finding out he was a wizard was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

The following day Harry and Ginny stuck closer to The Burrow and made certain to never stray too far from each other. That was not a hard task to accomplish since they were enjoying each other's company very much and getting to know one another better.

For Harry, who had never had a friend before, it was quite the new experience to simply sit beneath the tall oak tree in the garden and laugh and joke with someone who truly wanted to be his friend. Ginny was, by far, the kindest person he had ever met and it was very reassuring to have her companionship as he discovered how to live life in this strange new world he had suddenly found himself thrust in. Now that things had settled down just a bit, he had had time to reflect upon everything that had happened since Hagrid had charged through the rickety door of the shack on the island. He still had to pinch himself from time to time to ensure that it was real and he wasn't dreaming. Ginny would smile knowingly at him when she caught him squeezing his arm, but she never said anything about it. Instead, she would direct his attention to something new to discover.

Currently, she was sitting with her back against the tree with a book propped on her lap for a makeshift desk as she wrote a short letter to her best friend, Luna. Mrs Weasley had forbidden her to see Luna until the start of the school year because of the potion incident and Ginny had informed Harry she really needed to send her friend a letter. The two girls had been keeping in touch via mail since Ginny had been punished, and with everything that had happened, she was late sending her weekly note.

"Harry," Ginny said, looking up from the thick parchment wizards used as writing paper. She nibbled on the end of a self-inking quill he had been fascinated to see when she had pulled it from a drawer in the kitchen. The only place he had ever seen a quill was in old pictures of Parliament in his history book at primary.

"Yes?" Harry asked, pulling at the grass by his feet.

"May I borrow Hedwig to send this to Luna?" Ginny asked, rolling up the letter she had just written and tying a bit of twine around it.

"My letters from Hogwarts were delivered by owls," Harry responded thoughtfully. "Is that how you send mail?"

Ginny nodded her head. "It's very reliable. I bet Hedwig would enjoy the exercise. Plus, I know Luna would love to see her. She loves animals."

"What's Luna like?" Harry asked, having wondered about Ginny's best friend, the girl who had talked her into drinking a strange potion that may have been the cause of their soul bond.

"She's clever," Ginny replied. "Although most people, my brothers included, think she is loony. She is a bit odd, I admit, but once you get to know her, you will see how brilliant she is."

Harry pulled his knees up to his chest and linked his arms around his legs, before glancing over at Ginny. "Why did you decide to brew the potion?"

Her cheeks coloured at his question and he felt her embarrassment. "We were being silly girls, Harry," she shyly admitted. "Luna thought it would be fun. I thought it was ridiculous, but what could it hurt? Mum was furious."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I passed out and Luna's dad thought she had poisoned me," Ginny answered.

"I passed out, too," Harry said, and she glanced over, meeting his eyes. "That's probably the first time we met in the meadow."

A small smile graced her lips. "That's definitely one of the best dreams I have ever had. I hope we can go back there again someday."

"Me too," he said, a poignant sadness washing over him. Ginny reached over and clasped his hand. A warm tenderness filled him, easing the ache in his heart at the unspoken thought of his parents waiting in the meadow for them. He hoped if he were able to see them again it would be in their true form, although he wasn't even certain what his parents even looked like. His Aunt Petunia had never shown him any pictures of his mother and of course, had nothing but bad things to say about his father, and to some extent, his mother. It had been a shock to learn that everything she had ever told him was a lie. Hagrid seemed to know much more about his parents. Perhaps he should write to the groundskeeper and ask him.

"Ginny," Harry said. "Will you show me how to write with that quill? I'd like to write to Hagrid. I should thank him for Hedwig again and tell him what we decided to name her. Plus, I was thinking he might be able to tell me some more about my parents."

"I think that's a great idea, Harry!" Ginny responded enthusiastically, thrusting the book, parchment and quill towards him. "It's quite simple, really," she said, showing him how to hold the quill.

Harry mastered writing with a quill fairly quickly, finding that it wasn't that much different from writing with a pen, and soon had a letter written to Hagrid. Rolling it up like Ginny showed him, he tied it with some twine, as she had done with Luna's letter.

"Let's go wake up, Hedwig," Ginny announced, jumping to her feet. Harry followed her and they ran past her mother, who was making biscuits, and into the sitting room where Hedwig's cage still resided. The snowy owl was sound asleep, with her head tucked under her wing, but she quickly roused herself when the two noisy children ran into the room. She cooed in some annoyance at them as Harry unlocked the cage, but the gentle rub of her head against both their hands when she hopped out, signaled she really wasn't angry.

"Hedwig," Harry began. "Will you deliver a couple of letters for us?"

With a gentle nod of her head and a soft hoot, Hedwig thrust her leg out towards Harry and waited patiently for him to tie the two letters to it.

"The first one is for Ginny's best friend, Luna," Harry stated. "She lives nearby. The second letter is for Hagrid. He's the groundskeeper at Hogwarts."

With a final hoot of farewell, Hedwig hopped to the edge of the table and flew out the open sitting room window.

Not long after Hedwig had disappeared a dark pinprick appeared on the horizon, growing steadily closer as Harry and Ginny watched.

"Would she be returning so quickly?" Harry asked, looking over at Ginny.

"No," Ginny replied. "That's a different owl."

The owl drew closer and they could see that it was dark brown in colour and it soon was gliding through the window to land next to them. It thrust its leg out at Harry and he hesitantly reached out to remove the letter. It was in a rich cream envelope and he could already see the seal was of the Gringotts bank. Flipping it over, he nearly dropped it as Ginny gasped next to him and her cheeks turned a bright red. Her hands snatched the envelope from him and they stared at it.

**Mr and Mrs Harry James Potter**

**The Burrow**

**Ottery St Catchpole, Devon**

"What could this be?" he asked, taking the letter back from her, breaking the seal on the envelope and pulling out a thick piece of matching cream parchment that was folded in half. He handed the envelope to her before unfolding the letter and revealing the official letterhead for Gringotts and Adoyrak's name beneath it.

"Did an owl arrive?" Mrs Weasley asked, walking in from the kitchen. "I thought I saw..." she stopped when she saw them holding the opened letter. Spying the seal on the envelope still clutched in Ginny's hand, she held her own hand out. "Let me see that."

"It's addressed to us, Mum," Ginny protested as her mother reached for the letter.

Mrs Weasley blinked at her daughter a moment before lowering her hand. "Well, who's it from and what does it say?"

Harry swallowed before glancing over the letter, hesitant to inform Mrs Weasley whom it was from. The last time she had encountered the head goblin of Gringotts had not been a pleasant experience. Ginny looked over at him expectantly.

"It's from Adoyrak," Harry announced, slowly reading the letter and summarizing. "He would like to finish up the business we didn't attend to the other day." He stopped, glancing nervously up at Mrs Weasley. "He has another vault to show us aside from my student vault. And," Harry paused, shifting his gaze over to Ginny before mumbling the last. "We never officially signed the contract."

Mrs Weasley stood silently mulling this information over, looking at neither of them, but at the wall behind their backs. She chewed on her lip as her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides. Harry held the letter tightly in his hand while Ginny clutched the envelope to her chest protectively.

Finally, Mrs Weasley nodded. "Very well. When would he like to see you?"

"Tomorrow, if possible," Harry softly replied.

"All right," she said. "We'll make arrangements to visit tomorrow."

Without another word, she turned and retreated to the kitchen. Harry was beginning to realize Mrs Weasley spent a lot of time there, especially when she was upset. He looked apprehensively over at Ginny.

"Don't worry, Harry," she said reassuringly. "It's going to be all right."

He nodded and they spent the remainder of the day discussing what could possibly be in the vault Adoyrak was going to show them. Harry had already told Ginny about his student vault, and neither of them could imagine a vault containing more than what they already thought was quite a lot.

He also told Ginny about the mysterious package Hagrid had collected for Professor Dumbledore and they pondered what it could possibly be. In the evening, after Mr Weasley had arrived home from work and been informed of the letter from Adoyrak, he had contacted Professor Dumbledore. The headmaster, having taken on the unspoken role of Harry's caretaker said he would arrive first thing in the morning with a Portkey that would take them quietly and discreetly to Gringotts.

Mrs Weasley ordered all the children off to bed not long after dinner. With all of the excitement over the past couple of days, Harry gratefully crawled into his camp bed and was asleep almost immediately after his head hit the pillow. Ginny pulled the somewhat crumpled envelope from her dressing gown pocket and tucked it under her pillow before settling into bed and falling instantly asleep as well.

Molly stood in the doorway until she was certain they were asleep. When their breathing evened out and their restless limbs remained still for more than a few minutes, she slowly crept back into the room. Ginny was curled up on her side, her hair fanning out behind her on the pillow and her long eyelashes cast shadows across her pale cheeks. Her hand lay upon the pillow next to her face, the other curled up under her chin against her chest, and Molly could see the edge of the envelope her daughter had slid underneath the pillow before laying down.

Kneeling next to her, Molly reached out and slowly and carefully tugged the envelope out from underneath the pillow. Holding it up in the dim light from the hallway that streamed in through the open doorway, she squinted to read the front. Her eyes flicked rapidly over the words, a single tear leaking out as she resigned herself to her daughter's fate. No matter what she said or did, there was nothing she could do to change that her daughter was irrevocably tied to a boy not much older than she was.

She tucked the envelope back under the pillow and rose slowly to her feet. Looking across the room, she could just see the top of Harry's head. So far, he had been a very polite and conscientious child. She had seen the fear light his eyes several times when she glanced over at him, and Molly had to wonder if he saw something in her face that terrified him. She was trying not to let her worry for Ginny taint her from giving Harry a chance, and she thought she had been succeeding, so far.

While she had been overly shocked at the news of their bonding at first, and had been quick to blame him, she was coming to realize the impossibility that Harry could have had a hand in what had happened. His amazement at the simple magic he had thus far seen was truly genuine.

Also, she doubted she would ever forget the mortification that had covered his face yesterday afternoon when she had handed him the pile of clothes she had found amongst Ron's things she thought would suit him. Harry had quietly asked what had happened to the clothes he thought Professor McGonagall was bringing for him, and Molly had truthfully told him that she had immediately Vanished the clothes his aunt had sent for him. His cheeks had turned a bright red and he had stammered a thank you before hurriedly tucking the clothes away in his trunk with the rest of his school things. After that, both he and Ginny had looked so fatigued she insisted they take a nap, something none of her children had done since they were three.

Molly had been fretting in the kitchen over this fact when Percy had suggested to her that he suspected the twins had put Harry and Ginny up to attempting to fly a broom. They had looked particularly peaked when they had returned from the paddock, but when Molly interrogated the twins they blatantly denied Percy's claim. She had reprimanded the twins, all the same, and sent them off to their room until dinner.

Today, she had noticed that Harry and Ginny had made an effort to not stray far from the house or each other. She had observed them closely all day, and was happy to see that they interacted with each other very much the way Ginny acted with her brothers and Luna. Molly was beginning to realize that Albus was correct, they were still children and would be so for at least a few more years.

Turning away from the sleeping children, she spotted Arthur standing in the hallway, silently watching her.

She approached him slowly and upon reaching him, he wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled down at her.

"Have you decided to give Harry a chance?" he whispered.

"How did you know?" Molly asked, gazing up into his blue eyes.

"I haven't been married to you as long as I have without knowing when your heart is softening, Molly," Arthur answered, a familiar twinkle lighting his eyes.

Molly grimaced but answered him seriously. "He has no one, Arthur. The stories Minerva was telling me..."

"Shhh," Arthur soothed. "He has us now. We'll take care of him the way his parents would have wanted to."

Molly nodded, resting her head against his warm chest. "Ginny loves him already. I can see it in her eyes. Did you see the way she protected him the other day?"

"Yes," Arthur replied, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "It reminded me of you when you brought me home to meet Muriel for the first time."

Molly chuckled. "Oh, you were so intimidated by her."

"Could you blame me?" he asked, placing his finger under her chin and lifting her head to look into her eyes. "We can do this."

"Yes," Molly agreed. "It's going to be difficult, but I think we can."

Arthur bent his head and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I love you, Molly."

"I love you, too, Arthur," she whispered. "I couldn't do this without you."

"Me neither, Mollywobbles," he murmured. "Me neither."

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Albus Dumbledore arrived in the lane outside The Burrow bright and early the next morning, as he had promised. He had spent the past two days studying every piece of documentation he could find on past soul bonds, and found that they were exceedingly rare. From what Adoyrak had informed them and he had gleaned from merely observing Harry and Ginny the day the bond occurred, he had already concluded that the bond the two children shared ran deep.

In the past, some witches and wizards had attempted to initiate soul bonds with disastrous results. Apparently, as Adoyrak had said, bonding souls was a power not to be trifled with. Albus was eager to speak with the head goblin further upon the subject, as he seemed to know much more about soul bonds than even the books he had read.

Opening the garden gate, Albus walked swiftly down the path, and as he approached the house, he could make out the seven red heads and one black seated at the kitchen table. He knew, despite the shock of everything that had been thrust upon them, the Weasleys were a generous and loving family, and would not hold the events against Harry for long. At least, he hoped this would be the case. After all, it was no more Harry's fault than Ginny's that they had found themselves in the very unique situation they were in. As far as Albus was concerned from what he had learned, things could have turned out much worse and they could have lost both of the children. He would rather not think about the ramifications of things if that had happened. All truly would have been lost then. As it was, he now had high hopes for this new bond the children found themselves entangled in. Harry might actually have a chance to survive now, if Voldemort ever was able to return in full force.

However, that was a bridge Albus would gladly leave for another day further down the road, and enjoy the momentary peace for a while longer. Harry and Ginny were still children, and should be allowed to enjoy that childhood for as long as possible.

Knocking on the door, he waited patiently for a harried Molly to answer and beckon him in.

"Albus," she breathlessly said. "We are just finishing up. Would you like some tea or a scone?" She offered up a platter that contained a few blueberry scones.

"No, thank you, Molly," Albus demurred, "I had a hearty breakfast at school before I left, I assure you."

He looked over the scene at the table and the youngest, Ron was reaching for another scone as his mother placed the platter back upon the table. It was clear the boy had a healthy appetite. Percy wore his shining prefect badge and sat looking expectantly up at the headmaster, as if awaiting orders, but Albus was not in charge here. Molly bustled back to the table, ordering Ginny and the twins to finish their breakfasts. Harry sat in front of an empty plate that contained a few scattered crumbs upon it and was also looking over at him expectantly.

"Molly," Albus called. "If Harry is finished, may I have a quiet word with him?"

"Of course, Albus," Molly said. "Harry?"

Nodding mutely, Harry pushed his chair back from the table and walked quickly over to stand before the headmaster. Albus pulled him gently aside to a relatively quiet corner of the room.

"Harry, how are you settling in with the Weasleys?" He kindly and softly asked, knowing the noise from the table would prevent them from being overheard. The twins were attempting to tease Percy regarding his prefect badge, and Molly was barking at them to leave their brother alone. Albus sensed this had probably been an ongoing occurrence in the Weasley household since the boys had received their school letters. He directed his attention back to Harry who was looking nervously up at him.

"Fine, Professor," Harry replied, tugging uncomfortably at the blue plaid shirt he was wearing. "They have been very nice to me. Mrs Weasley gave me some of Ron's old clothes to wear." Harry bit his lip, worry filling his eyes.

"What is it, Harry?" Albus pressed, kneeling down in order to look the boy in the eyes.

"Professor Dumbledore," Harry started, unconsciously pulling on the cuffs of his shirt. "If it turns out I have a bit of money, do you think you could help me arrange some form of payment for the Weasleys with Adoyrak?"

He looked at the boy thoughtfully. "I could, Harry," he began slowly, "However, I am not sure how the Weasleys would take that. They are not fond of charity."

"Neither am I, Professor," Harry confessed. "I feel like I owe them something. It's not like they asked to be stuck taking care of a freak like me. They have been much nicer than I ever expected them to be."

"Now, Harry," Albus reprimanded. "That is no way to think of yourself."

Harry nodded, but it was clear he was not to be swayed. "All the same, will you help me? I'd feel better about things. My aunt and uncle hated me because I was a burden to them. I don't want the Weasleys to feel the same way."

"I do not think the Weasleys are anything like Petunia and Vernon Dursley, but if it will make you feel better, I will speak with Adoyrak on your behalf," he acquiesced, rising back to his full height.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said gratefully, and looked up at the wizened headmaster. "The Weasleys really have been very kind to me."

"I know, Harry," he said with a smile. "That's why I was not troubled in the slightest to leave you with them. Now, we had better think about going."

"How will we get there, Professor?" Harry asked. "The same way we came here the other night?"

"Yes, Harry," Albus replied. "There are other ways to travel, but for now, Portkey is the only way for you and Ginny to travel safely." He pulled a silver goblet from within his robes. It contained the Hogwarts crest, and he had set the Portkey that very morning after finishing the pumpkin juice it had contained.

Harry nodded solemnly, and placing a reassuring hand upon the boy's shoulder, Albus turned back to the breakfast scene. Molly had sent the twins away, Ron was eating the last of the scones, while Percy received final instructions from his mother. Ginny stood by the door, looking over at Albus and Harry with concern. He smiled benignly over at her and steered Harry towards her.

Molly finished lecturing Percy and brushing her hands on her apron, removed it quickly and hung it on a peg by the door.

"All ready, Molly?" Albus asked.

"Yes," Molly replied. "Arthur went to the office early this morning in order to have some time off and will meet us there."

"Very good," Albus concurred. "Shall we?" He opened the door and allowed Harry and Ginny to exit, followed by Molly. Percy watched them silently, his mouth in a grim line. Albus nodded good-bye to him and stepped out after the others. When they had assembled in the garden path, he held the goblet out to them.

"Harry, Ginny, I suggest you hold hands and place your free hands upon the goblet, as we did last time." The children complied, and Molly placed her hand on the goblet next to Albus'. "And now, we will go. Hold on tightly!"

The garden swirled around them as the small group disappeared, and with the usual drop in the stomach Albus always faintly felt, they remerged in the quiet sanctuary of Adoyrak's outer office. The head goblin's assistant, Griphook looked up from the desk he was seated behind and rose to his feet as Albus and Molly steadied the two children accompanying them. Arthur, who had been sitting in a chair off to the side, hurried to greet the group.

"Traveling go all right?" he asked, taking Ginny by the elbow.

"Very smoothly, I thought," Albus replied and looked down at the two children. "Harry? Ginny?"

"We're fine," Harry answered for the two of them and looked expectantly over at Griphook.

"Welcome back to Gringotts," Griphook greeted them, walking to stand by an intricately carved wooden door just to the right of his desk.

"You are prompt," he observed, checking his watch. "Adoyrak is expecting you." He opened the door and indicated that the group should enter the office within.

Albus ushered the children before him and observed that Ginny clung tightly to Harry's hand as they entered the office. Molly and Arthur followed closely behind them and Albus brought up the rear. Adoyrak stood by his desk, baring his jagged teeth in a grimace that passed as a smile for a goblin.

"Welcome, once again, Mr and Mrs Potter, Mr and Mrs Weasley and Headmaster Dumbledore," he said politely. "Thank you for agreeing to return so soon. If you would please be seated we can begin."

He indicated a small round table that sat in the corner of his office and around which sat six chairs. The golden-scripted parchment lay on the table in front of one chair and next to it was an inkpot with a brilliant white quill lying next to it. Adoyrak took that seat, with Harry and Ginny sitting across from him. Arthur and Molly sat next to their daughter and Albus took the remaining seat on Harry's left.

"Mr and Mrs Potter," Adoyrak began after they had settled in their seats. "On July 31st at 12.36 in the afternoon you entered in spiritual matrimony. Gringotts would like to have a copy of your magical signatures on file in order to be able to aid you expeditiously in the future. If you would please sign your full names on the marriage contract, we can then proceed to the other matters, such as showing you your vault."

He pushed the parchment across the table to them, as well as the inkpot and handed the quill to Harry. Harry's hand shook as he took the quill and dipped it in the inkpot. Lifting it back out, huge drops of black ink dripped over the table. Ginny, who had been looking over the contract, gasped and quickly moved the parchment out from under the quill before ink dripped on it, as well.

"Tap the tip of the quill on the rim of the pot, Harry before you sign the contract," Albus suggested. "That way you will not muddy the beautiful script."

Doing as he was told, Harry's eyes roved over the elegant script, and finding his name already written out at the bottom, hesitantly signed the empty line just underneath. His signature immediately glowed along with the rest of the characters upon the page. Staring at the parchment a moment longer, he turned it towards Ginny and handed her the quill.

She quickly found her new name at the bottom of the page and signed the line without pause. Her signature glowed just as brightly as Harry's had done and nodding his approval, Adoyrak took the contract back from them.

"Very good," he said. "Your marriage has elevated you to adult status, and therefore, your entire inheritance is now available to you."

"We're adults now?" Ginny asked quietly, her brown eyes wide as she looked over at her parents.

"Hardly," Molly snorted with a shake of her head.

"You are still children, however, what Adoyrak is saying is that Gringotts now views you as adults because of your marriage, and the larger vault containing the sum of your inheritance, as well as any property your parents may have owned will be officially signed over to you, Harry," Albus explained.

"But, I don't know the first thing about handling any of that," Harry protested. "Hagrid had to tell me how much I should take out of my student vault."

"That is why we are here," Albus continued, indicating himself and the Weasleys, who nodded their heads in affirmation. "We can guide you until you learn."

"You'll help me?" Harry asked, looking over at Albus.

"Of course, Harry," he replied. "You have already asked me to speak on your behalf. If you would like, I am sure Adoyrak can draw up a contract to make it official until you reach a certain age you can specify."

"I can," Adoyrak agreed. "I have pulled everything pertaining to your inheritance and can adjust the documents accordingly, if you would like. Your student vault has been closed and all the holdings within have been transferred to your main vault."

"I'm not sure I feel comfortable agreeing to anything until we see the vault in question," Arthur said.

"Very well," Adoyrak said, rising from his seat. "We can proceed to the vault now, if you would like."

The group nodded, and silently followed Adoyrak through a door opposite the one they had entered. They found themselves in a dimly lit stone passageway and before them sat a cart large enough to accommodate them all sitting on a railway track.

Albus observed that Ginny clung tightly to Harry's arm as they stepped into the cart and took their seats. Molly and Arthur sat behind them and Albus sat in the front next to Adoyrak, who was already manipulating the controls.

Without warning, the cart hurtled down the track. Ginny squealed madly as the cart rocketed along, dipping wildly up and down and making sharp turns to the right and left. They travelled beneath a waterfall, and both children cringed, fully expecting to be drenched. However, they came out the other side fully dry. Harry turned around to gape at the still falling water and Adoyrak quietly mentioned to all within the cart that the waterfall, called The Thief's Downfall, was enchanted to reveal anyone attempting to pass themselves off as another witch or wizard. Since everyone in the cart was whom they claimed to be, they had passed through unscathed.

"I don't remember riding through that the last time I was here," Harry commented.

"Gringotts has reinforced and enhanced its security measures since the last time you were here, Mr Potter," Adoyrak impassively replied.

The cart made one more abrupt turn before coming to a screeching halt outside a vault door large enough for the adults to walk through without ducking. Adoyrak exited the cart and walked over to stand directly in front of the door. Molly and Arthur stepped out of the cart and helped Ginny and Harry out, as well. Albus followed and stood close to Harry's side, in case he needed support. Ginny was clinging to Harry's hand quite tightly, and Albus smiled slightly, doubting if the boy would need his aid when he had the exuberant red-haired girl by his side.

"This is the main Potter vault, number seven hundred and twenty-five," he explained, running his finger down the door. The door melted away, revealing a cavernous space beyond, filled with every sort of valuable imaginable.

The two elder Weasleys and the two children goggled at the piles of Knuts, Sickles, and Galleons that immediately appeared before taking in the shelves all along the walls that contained art work, boxes of family jewels, and an assortment of other collectibles such as vases, dishes, and the like. Further in the back were large hulking shapes draped with dust cloths.

"After your parents' untimely demise, all the items of worth that could be salvaged from their home were placed here," Adoyrak offered. "Of course, there was already a considerable amount stored here from previous ancestors."

"What am I supposed to do with all of this?" Harry asked, looking around the room and clearly unable to take it all in.

"You don't have to do anything today," Arthur said.

"If I may suggest, Harry," Albus intervened. "As you said earlier, Hagrid already advised you on a proper amount to take out of your student vault when you were here a few days ago. I am sure that will be enough to see you through for quite some time. Perhaps, it would be best to leave this for another day, further down the road."

Harry nodded and looked at Ginny, who was gazing about her in wonderment.

"Should we at least look at the things from the house your parents were living in, Harry?" Ginny asked, turning towards him. "Maybe there will be some pictures or something."

"Where are the things from my parents' house?" Harry asked Adoyrak.

Adoyrak pointed to the back where the drop clothes were located. "They can be found there."

The two children picked their way through the piles towards the back of the vault and the adults followed. Adoyrak remained discreetly behind, keeping watch just inside the vault. As the group proceeded further within the vault, torches along the wall lit, casting a flickering glow over the treasure. Stopping before the tarps, Harry stood staring at them a moment before reaching over and pulling one down to reveal a worn red plaid sofa.

Pulling off another, they discovered a plain secretary and several crates piled on top of another.

"Those could be promising," Arthur whispered and waving his wand summoned the topmost crate towards them. Albus did the same with the remaining two and soon the three crates were situated in front of the children.

Harry opened the one directly in front of him, and heaved a sigh of disappointment when all that was within was a set of bone china plates.

"Nothing," he dejectedly said.

"There are still two more, Harry," Ginny remarked, and glancing at him for approval before doing so, took the lid off the next crate. "Look, Harry! A toy broom!" she crowed in delight, lifting the small broom out of the crate. "I bet it was yours!"

"Who would give a one-year old child a toy broom?" Molly asked, the disapproval clear in her voice.

"I have an idea," Albus chuckled.

"Who, professor?" Harry asked.

"Your father, I would surmise, Harry," he replied. "He was a Chaser for the Gryffindor team, and even won a trophy or two, if I remember correctly."

"Really?" Harry asked excitedly.

"Look, Harry!" Ginny exclaimed, pointing into the bottom of the crate. "I bet that's a photo album!" She reached inside the crate and pulled out a thin book. Opening it up, a picture of a living room sat on top the first page and as they watched a black-haired baby boy zoomed through the scene. "It's you, Harry! Look at you go!"

The adults clustered behind them and they watched the picture for a few moments longer, as baby Harry continued to make several circuits, entering the picture from one side and exiting on the other. Growing bored of looking at the picture, Harry turned the page to find a picture of a handsome young man with messy black hair and glasses with his arm around an equally lovely young woman with auburn hair and bright emerald green eyes.

"Those are your parents, Harry," Albus solemnly said.

"Your mother was so beautiful," Ginny breathed, staring at the picture as the young couple waved merrily at whomever was taking the photo. Molly made a small choking noise and Albus turned to see her looking between the photo and Harry and Ginny.

Drawing the Weasleys away from the two children, who continued to page through the album, enraptured over the many photos, Albus spoke quietly with Ginny's parents.

"Ginny said they saw his parents in a meadow the day they bonded," Molly said disbelievingly. "Is it possible his parents had a hand in their bonding?"

"I do not know," Albus responded. "I am still working on learning what I can about soul bonds. To that effect, I have enlisted the aid of Professor Snape. He is currently working on a temporary solution to Ginny and Harry's separation issue. I am hoping he will have something before too much longer."

Arthur nodded, gazing about the vault. "As for this, Albus, like Harry, I am feeling overwhelmed. I am not sure I feel comfortable having any amount of control over this. I don't want the children to later feel we used their naïveté to gain access to Harry's inheritance. I would rather merely be here to give them advice, but not have my name attached to the account. Do you agree, Molly?"

Molly nodded, still staring over at her daughter and Harry.

"I agree with you, Arthur," Albus concurred. "Why don't you two attend to Harry and Ginny, and gather whatever they choose to take with them while I speak with Adoyrak?"

Nodding, Arthur and Molly walked back over to where Harry and Ginny were sitting, still looking over the album and Albus turned to find Adoyrak silently observing the scene. Walking over to the head goblin, Albus stood next to him and watched the two children.

"Harry has asked that the Weasleys receive a monthly stipend," Albus mentioned to Adoyrak.

Adoyrak nodded. "From what I have observed, he is conscientious for a human."

"Yes," Albus agreed. "He is."

"I can draw up the necessary documents for whatever amount you think appropriate," Adoyrak said.

"Let us do so discreetly," Albus suggested. "And we will use funds from my personal vault."

"As you wish, Chief Warlock," Adoyrak replied as the Weasleys and two children approached them.

"Did you find anything of worth, Harry?" Albus asked, smiling down at the young boy.

Harry beamed up at him. "Photos, sir. Maybe you might know who some of the other people are?"

"I may, Harry," he confirmed. "I taught many of your parents' friends. Perhaps the next time I see you we can sit down and look through it thoroughly together."

"I'd like that, sir," Harry replied and Ginny smiled gratefully up at Albus as well.

"Shall we return to my office and finish our business?" Adoyrak asked.

Albus nodded and they entered the cart for the ride back to Adoyrak's office. When they arrived, the head goblin quickly drew up the necessary documents naming Arthur and Molly Weasley and Albus Dumbledore as advisors to the Potter estate.

Afterwards, Albus handed the Portkey to Arthur. "This will take you all back to The Burrow."

"You're not coming with us, Professor?" Harry asked, looking up at Albus.

"I have further business to attend to with Adoyrak, Harry," Albus answered. "However, I will see you again soon."

He stepped back as Arthur gently gripped Harry's shoulder. Ginny clasped his hand and her mother placed her hand lightly on her daughter's shoulder.

"Thank you again, Albus," Arthur called. "We'll see you soon?"

"Yes," Albus replied. "Safe travels."

"Harry, Ginny, hold on tightly," Molly reminded them before nodding farewell to Albus. They disappeared with a small 'pop', leaving Albus and Adoyrak alone in the office.

"They are content," the goblin observed, after a moment's silence. "It would appear they have settled easily into their bond."

"Yes," Albus concurred. "I am curious about it, however. You seem to know quite a bit more than I, Adoyrak. Can you tell me, how long until they grow fully into the bond?"

Adoyrak looked up at Albus, his hard, black eyes glinting. "How long does it take a sapling to grow and bear its fruit? Their bond will mature as they do, as I have already informed you."

Albus nodded, while it was not the answer he would like, it was the one he had expected. "You spoke of added security measures earlier. Is that because of the break-in that occurred on the 31st?"

"Yes, Chief Warlock," Adoyrak replied. "Only your vault was burgled. We at Gringotts have already apologized to you regarding this issue and it was and is to our great relief that your vault was already empty."

"As am I," Albus said. "It was quite fortuitous that I sent Hagrid that day not only to collect Harry, but that which was stored in my vault."

"We are continuing to investigate how our security was breached," the head goblin assured him.

"I can only hope your accounts are never compromised such," Albus continued. "I do not need to tell you the importance of keeping Harry's and Ginny's bonding a secret for as long as possible. Especially if it is going to take years, as you have implied for their bond to strengthen."

"Why is it of such consequence to you?" Adoyrak inquired.

"They are young, and at the moment, extremely vulnerable," he confessed.

"They will grow powerful," Adoyrak insisted. "The disruption their bonding caused is testament to that fact."

"I only hope we are afforded the time needed for them to grow, Adoyrak," Albus sighed.

""It is in Fate's hands," the goblin commented and Albus nodded, thinking more than just the soul bonding had been dealt by Fate.


	3. Chapter 3 - First Introductions

**Author's notes: **Surprise! I am posting a day early for all you wonderful lovelies out there who have taken the time to read, review, and fav my story. Thank you very much! I truly appreciate any and all comments, even the bad ones because they make me think and work harder!

Many thanks to my team of betas, Arnel, grammar and canon extraordinaire, Brennus, Brit-picker and renowned author, and seekers_destiny, who's eye for plot-holes, characterization, and continuity is incomparable. They are amazing and I am truly lucky they want to read and make my work better.

Enjoy!

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After visiting Harry's vault and with the signing of the marriage certificate, making Ginny and Harry's bonding official, Arthur and Molly had decided it would be necessary to sit down with the entire family and have a discussion regarding the issue. The twins had spent the better part of the meal teasing Ginny and Harry incessantly in regard to the bonding. Harry had looked as if he wished he could crawl under the table, until Ginny had finally resorted to throwing a spoonful of peas across the table to splatter on Fred's and George's faces.

"Ginny! Do not throw food at your brothers!" Molly reprimanded before turning on the twins who were snickering. "Fred, George, stop teasing your sister and Harry. We need to speak to you all about returning to school."

"We promise to be good," Fred began.

"Well, as good as we can manage," George amended.

"This isn't about you boys and your silly shenanigans," Molly sighed. "However, if I receive another letter from Professor Snape regarding your behaviour in Potions class, you will receive something far worse from me than a Howler."

"What's worse than a Howler?" Fred queried.

"My physical presence!" Molly warned, to which both twins nodded their agreement that that was a worse punishment indeed.

"Now, seriously, boys," Arthur continued. "We need to speak with you regarding Harry and Ginny."

Harry and Ginny looked up at Arthur from their places at the table.

"The love doves?" Fred asked.

"Sitting in a tree," George smirked, making kissing motions while Ron gagged and Percy glared over at his younger brothers. Both Ginny's and Harry's faces flamed red.

"Enough!" Molly spat angrily.

"Boys," Arthur said quietly, which quickly garnered everyone's attention. "Professor Dumbledore has made it clear that we need to keep Ginny's and Harry's bonding a secret, and your mother and I agree. This is a serious matter and your sister's and Harry's lives depend upon you keeping this amongst yourselves. That means you will not be able to joke about this at school or mention it to anyone."

"There have been loads of articles about Harry in the Prophet," Ron said. "What are we supposed to say?"

"There is no reason for anyone to suspect Harry is living with us at this time, so you will say nothing about it," Arthur stated. "I am sure some students will speculate as to why he is not attending this year. Your mother and I are asking you to keep the truth hidden."

"What about when Ginny and Harry attend next year?" Percy asked.

"We will work out a suitable explanation before then," Arthur assured them. "Professor Dumbledore hopes that in a year's time Ginny and Harry will be able to function normally and no one will be the wiser to the bond they share."

"What of the Ministry?" Percy asked. "It seems this would be the sort of thing they would already know about."

"We have been assured by Adoyrak, the Head Goblin at Gringotts, that the Ministry is currently unaware of the bonding," Arthur answered.

"Why is that?" Percy pressed.

"There are certain aspects the Ministry requires before it will acknowledge that Ginny and Harry are, for all intents and purposes, married."

"What?" Ron exclaimed. "What do you mean they are married?"

Nearly identical gobsmacked expressions appeared on the four Weasley boys' faces as they turned to goggle over at Ginny and Harry. The two young children's cheeks burned red under the scrutiny and both ducked their heads, shoving any uneaten food still on their plates aimlessly around with their forks.

"You're joking, right, Dad?" Fred asked, looking as serious as he had ever looked in his life. "I thought the bonding thing only meant they shared a magical connection or something."

"I am not joking," Arthur sighed. "Ginny and Harry are married."

"That's impossible," Percy scoffed. "They aren't anywhere near of age."

"From what I have gathered, Soul Bonding is an extremely rare and archaic form of marriage," Arthur explained. "According to Adoyrak, there hasn't been a recorded bonding in over 1700 years. That is probably the main reason why the Ministry does not recognize the union and hopefully, will not for some time to come; since as you have already pointed out, Percy, Ginny and Harry are not of age to act as normal married couples do and will not be for several years yet." He looked pointedly over at Molly, who nodded her head in agreement.

"You mean like actual kissing?" Ron asked, looking as if he was about to expel the three helpings of Sheppard's pie he had just eaten.

"We were only joking about the kissing, you two," George admonished.

"Kissing is strictly forbidden," Fred warned, "until you are at least thirty; forty would be better."

"It was that potion!" Percy exclaimed, eyeing his sister, who had turned a deep shade of maroon from the emotions of mortification and anger warring on her face.

"It was not!" Ginny shrieked, roughly shoving her chair back and causing her glass of milk to spill across the table. She took a step to run out of the room, when Harry reached up and grabbed her hand, tugging her back to her chair. She paused a moment before plopping back down in her seat, the hurt her brothers' teasing had caused still evident in her eyes, but the upset was easing from her face and demeanour. This was the second time Arthur had seen evidence of Harry's ability to placate his daughter with a mere word or touch and he wondered how the boy was able to do so. He would puzzle it out later, but for the time being, he needed to focus on having his four sons acknowledge the seriousness of the situation.

He cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "This is what your mother and I are talking about, boys. You cannot joke about this at school or send letters home teasing Ginny and Harry because you think it is funny. Think of the ridicule they would face if the other students at Hogwarts learn of their bonding and subsequent marriage. Promise us you will keep their secret."

"We'll keep it a secret, Mum and Dad," Percy announced for himself and his brothers, sternly looking at each of them in turn. Ron nodded, still wide-eyed and looking over at Harry and Ginny in shock. Fred and George still had amused grins on their faces, but they nodded their agreement, as well.

"We'll just have to save all of our teasing for the holidays, George," Fred announced.

"Oh, that will make the upcoming Christmas holiday merry!" George gleefully commented.

"We are allowed in Hogsmeade this year!" Fred proclaimed.

"Perhaps we can find them a pleasurable treasure," George cackled, but catching the hard look Molly was sending him, quickly amended. "From Honeydukes, Mum! I bet Harry has never had Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans."

"Or Chocolate Frogs!" Ron offered, his shock over the news of Ginny's marriage momentarily forgotten in light of a conversation regarding sweets. "They have wizard cards in them, Harry, and you can collect them. I could show you my collection after dinner."

The discussion had gone better than Arthur thought and he was happy to have managed to avoid having to inform the children of Albus' suspicions regarding You-Know-Who's possible return. He thought it was best to keep that particular worry from them for as long as possible and there was always the chance that Albus was wrong. As the children fell into a discussion about sweets and trading cards, he glanced over at Molly to find her chewing her bottom lip worriedly as she observed Ginny and Harry, and he sighed. She was still having a harder time accepting the situation than he was, and he feared she would for some time to come.

The following morning dawned grey and rainy, with no sign that it would let up any time soon, forcing everyone, aside from Arthur, to remain indoors for the day. Molly stood at the kitchen window absentmindedly watching the rain spatter against the glass as she mused about her children. The only one of the children who hadn't minded the weather was Percy, and after breakfast he had headed directly to his room to study for his upcoming O.W.L.s, even though they were nearly a year away. Molly admired her son's dedication to his schoolwork and certainly was not going to admonish him for wanting to do well.

She sighed, wishing some of Percy's ambition would rub off on the twins, who seemed content to barely scrape by, preferring to be the centre of attention because of the pranks they pulled. No amount of punishment seemed to get through to them, and if anything fuelled their fire to cause mayhem. As if on cue, a loud bang carried down the stairs from their room two floors up. She faintly heard Percy's door crash open and his feet stomping over the landing to shout at them through the door. Silence reigned for a few moments before faint apologetic murmuring could be heard from Fred, no doubt. He was the ring-leader of the two. Perhaps if she could separate George from Fred somehow she could at least have one of them excel. She had no doubt both Fred and George were intelligent... if only she could figure out a way to make them apply themselves. As it was, unless the noise from the second floor became considerably louder, she would leave the confrontation between the three older boys.

Ron, Ginny, and Harry had traipsed off to the sitting room to play Exploding Snap and whatever else they could find to entertain themselves. It was quiet for now, and she assumed they had decided to play a round of Wizard chess, or perhaps were reading. She would check on them after she had started preparing lunch.

She was still somewhat disturbed by yesterday's events at Gringotts. It was frustrating that Albus could not provide her with definitive answers as to the cause of the Soul Bond, especially since he was adamant that the potion, _Aphrodite's Destiny_, had not caused it. Ginny and Harry were too young to have to deal with the responsibility the bonding was bringing upon them already. Visiting the vault and seeing the contents within had been overwhelming. Molly had to give Harry credit for admitting he didn't have the slightest clue what to do with the vast amount of wealth that had suddenly been handed to him. Most other boys his age would have crammed as much of the money into their pockets to buy whatever their little hearts desired if given the same opportunity.

Harry was proving to be extremely sincere and Molly had to admit that if her daughter had to be bonded to someone, she could have fared much worse. However, his arrival had upset Molly's plans for the remainder of the summer and year. She had been hoping to savour these last few moments with Ron before September 1st arrived, and then enjoy a quiet year bonding with Ginny before her departure next year. Now Ginny was spending all of her time with Harry, and Molly found herself fighting a constant internal struggle between her two selves; the one half that wanted to take Harry under her wing and mother him as he so obviously and desperately needed and the other that wanted to curse him for taking her daughter away too soon. She found herself teetering hopelessly in the middle.

Turning from the window, Molly began pulling bread and ham from the chiller and set them on the counter to slice, still mulling over her conflicting emotions and how to overcome them. She waved her wand at a knife and it began cutting the bread into thick chunks. She walked into the pantry to gather other items she would need for lunch when she heard Ron calling for her.

"Mum?"

"Yes, dear?" Molly asked, walking out of the pantry to see him standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Will you play a game of chess with me?" he asked.

Molly brushed her hands on her apron and smiled over at him. "Of course, dear. I'm preparing lunch at the moment, so why don't you play a game with Ginny or Harry and I'll play with you after lunch?"

"Ginny and Harry went upstairs to build a fort," Ron replied.

"What do you mean they went upstairs?" Molly asked.

Ron shrugged. "To Ginny's room, I suppose. She always had better furniture for it."

"Didn't they ask you to come along?" Molly inquired, trying to keep herself from overreacting.

"Yeah," Ron admitted. "But I'm too big for that kind of stuff. Last time Ginny and I played we didn't have any room to do anything under her quilt and were practically sitting on each other's laps."

Molly's eyes bulged in alarm and she hastily moved past Ron and strode up the stairs to the first floor where Ginny's room was located. As she approached the door, which was ajar, Molly could hear their giggling and then Ginny's shriek of laughter. Shoving the door open, she spied Ginny's quilt and top sheet pulled off the bed and draped from the footboard of her bed and across the desk shoved under the window. The room was darker than usual because of the overcast skies and a flickering, golden light filtered out from beneath the ends of the sheet and quilt that puddled on the floor.

Striding across the room, Molly yanked the quilt and sheet down to reveal Ginny curled on her side still giggling madly as Harry knelt next to her tickling her shoulders and ribs. A small jar filled with fairy lights sat near them, the tiny creatures fluttering merrily within and casting their warm glow.

Both children looked up and the smiles on their faces froze when they saw Molly's angry countenance.

"What are you doing?" she ground out. Harry withdrew his hands immediately as Ginny rolled to her knees and looked up at her mother, her smile faltering.

"Playing fort, Mum," she replied. "We were making shadow puppets."

"What kind of shadow puppets involve touching each other and tickling?" Molly asked, surprised at how calm she sounded when what she really wanted to do was throttle the two of them, Harry especially.

As if sensing her thoughts, Harry quickly stood. "We were having a contest, who could make the best. I started tickling Ginny to mess her up."

"He had to cheat, Mum," Ginny said, scrambling to her feet next to Harry. "Your shadow puppets are terrible, Harry."

"Go downstairs to the kitchen, immediately," Molly spat, pointing her finger to the door. While his face showed evident confusion, Harry started for the door without question, but Ginny gaped up at her mother for a moment, her own brown eyes darkening in anger.

"We were just playing, Mum," she defiantly explained.

"Downstairs now, Ginevra!" Molly commanded, taking her daughter by the arm and leading her out the door and down the stairs after Harry.

"Ron, go to your room until I call you to lunch," Molly ordered as they marched through the sitting room past a shocked looking Ron. He opened his mouth to protest, but seeing the blazing look in his mother's eyes quickly obeyed and ran up the stairs.

Harry slumped into a chair, his shoulders curving in on themselves as he attempted to make himself as small as possible. Molly half expected him to draw his knees up to his chest, but he didn't and instead fisted his hands in his lap and stared at the scrubbed wood table top, avoiding her piercing gaze. Ginny quickly slid into the seat next to him, and her hand slipped over to rest lightly on top of Harry's hand.

"Let go of Harry's hand this instant, Ginny," Molly said, reaching down and removing her daughter's hand herself and placing it on top of the table.

"Mum, you don't understand," Ginny began, but Molly cut her off.

"No, you don't understand!" Molly exclaimed. "Your father and I should have spoken to the both of you the day this all started. I am laying out some rules here and now. The first of which is that you are absolutely forbidden to be alone in any bedroom. Do you understand?"

"Why?" Ginny asked.

"Look at me, the both of you," Molly demanded, and waited until Ginny's furious brown eyes and Harry's puzzled green ones were looking directly at her. "I repeat, do you understand?"

"Yes, Mrs Weasley," Harry said through gritted teeth, and the faintest trace of exasperation. "We didn't meant to upset you. Like Ginny said, we were just playing."

Ginny's eyes hardened into a fierce glare she directed towards Molly as Harry spoke and she insolently pulled her hand from the table and laid it upon Harry's clenched fist once again. "We weren't doing anything wrong!" Ginny protested.

"Ginevra," Molly warned, "do not take that tone of voice with me, and do not make me ask you again to remove your hand from Harry's."

"No, you don't understand anything!" Ginny shouted, bright spots of red darkening her cheeks.

"Harry, would you please allow me a moment with Ginny alone?" Molly managed, her rising anger with her daughter's belligerence causing a red haze to film over her eyes.

Nodding, Harry began to rise, but Ginny's firm grip upon his hand kept him from retreating. Ginny turned pleading eyes up towards him before releasing his hand and allowing him to go. With a clenched jaw, Harry moved past Molly, keeping his eyes averted from hers.

Ginny paled as he left, and clutched her hands to her chest. Ignoring her daughter's dramatic behaviour, Molly began berating her.

"You will never speak to me that way again, young lady, do you understand me?" Molly seethed. "You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into, and I will not allow you to spend another moment alone with that boy unsupervised."

"You've upset Harry," Ginny gasped, shivering in her chair.

"I don't care!" Molly bellowed. "He is the least of my worries at the moment! Look at you! You can't even sit here with me alone because of him."

"You have no right!" Ginny breathlessly cried. "Harry has never had a decent time of it, Mum. He was never allowed to play and we were only having a bit of fun and you ruined it." Tears sprang to Ginny's eyes, and she turned her head away from Molly to glare out the window, blinking rapidly. "You ruined it," she wept.

Molly was stunned at the strength of Ginny's emotion. Despite her best efforts, tears began trickling down Ginny's face and her body trembled uncontrollably. Molly was beside herself. How could her daughter have turned the tables on her so completely and make her feel as if it was she who was in the wrong? Kneeling next to Ginny, she wiped at the tears on her cheeks with her apron.

"I am not telling you that you can't play with Harry," Molly amended softly, her anger abating as quickly as it had risen at the sight of her daughter crying. "I am merely setting some rules I expect the both of you to follow. It is for your's and Harry's own good. To keep you from a situation in the future you are not ready to deal with."

"Explain it to us, Mum," Ginny pleaded, turning her tear-filled brown eyes back towards Molly. "Help us understand. We will be good, we promise."

Molly nodded. "I will," she promised. "Your father and I will sit down with you tonight and try to explain it to you. In the meantime, can you please tell me why you and Harry have to hold hands? Isn't being in the same room enough?"

Ginny's brow furrowed in thought, and she wiped at the tears still leaking from her eyes. "We feel better."

"What does that mean, sweetheart?" Molly asked, not understanding.

"I can feel what Harry is feeling," Ginny explained. "And he me. He was upset just now. He thought you were going to try to find a way to send him away. When I hold his hand, I can make him feel better. He can do the same with me whenever I'm sad or angry."

"You share each other's emotions and thoughts?" Molly asked incredulously.

Ginny nodded, taking a shallow breath, as her trembling turned to shuddering, causing her chair to rattle on the floor. "Can Harry come back now?"

Molly realized Ginny's face had turned ashen during their brief discussion and quickly jumped to her feet, dashing out of the kitchen to retrieve Harry. She found him slumped by the stairs just past the sitting room, clearly having tried to retreat as far as he possibly could. Molly slipped her arm about his waist, trying to ignore the pang of guilt that coursed through her upon feeling the sharp bones of his hips against her plump arm as she hefted him to his feet.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Weasley," he whispered.

"As am I, Harry," she sighed, guiding him back to the kitchen to sit in the chair next to Ginny, who weakly reached over to clasp his hand.

"I would like the two of you to remain here in the kitchen with me," Molly said, waving her wand towards the cupboards. Two glasses and a bottle of pumpkin juice floated out to land on the table in front of the children. Molly poured them each a generous helping before sliding the glasses closer to them.

"Drink this, you two," she ordered. "It will help you feel better."

Molly turned away from them to finish preparing the lunch, knowing there was no way she could comprehend what was happening between Ginny and Harry and wondering if she ever would. While she very much wanted to finish laying out the rules she expected them to follow, it was clear that would have to wait until later.

After lunch she tasked Ginny and Harry with helping her tidy up and then sent them to the sitting room with specific instructions that they were not to leave the room unless they asked her permission first. Harry had appeared relieved to be able to be out from underneath her watchful glare and he and Ginny spent the afternoon once again quietly paging through the photo album they had retrieved from the vault and playing with Hedwig. The owl apparently took some delight in entertaining the children by nipping them on their fingers, ears and necks and eliciting small giggles that quickly abated if they felt they were becoming too loud.

Molly sighed, hating that, as Ginny had told her, she had put a damper on their spirits, and wishing Arthur were home. Arthur was her rock, and invariably put her at ease. Molly reflected on what Ginny had told her about how holding Harry's hand made her feel better. Ginny's livid face at dinner the previous evening sprang to Molly's mind, and Harry grabbing Ginny's hand before she could bolt. At the time, Molly had felt nothing but annoyance at his brazenness, but with Ginny's recent explanation, she could suddenly view it in an entirely different light. After he had taken her hand, Ginny had settled almost immediately, something that rarely happened once her brothers had goaded her.

Peeking in the sitting room, which had grown silent, Molly saw that Harry was sitting on the settee with his back to the kitchen door reading a book, while Ginny sat on the floor near him playing solitaire with the Exploding Snap deck. She looked up and met her mother's eyes, the question in them obvious. Molly nodded, _Yes, you are being good - for now_.

Molly dreaded the upcoming conversation she and Arthur would have with them tonight. She would much rather have kept them in the dark for as long as possible regarding the physical mechanics of marriage. However, her overreaction this morning had caused them to have to face the inevitable earlier than she had anticipated, and she had no one to blame but herself. Hopefully, Ginny and Harry would be so repulsed by the idea, they would want to abstain until they were much older.

Ginny gazed at her a moment longer before lowering her eyes back to her cards, just as Harry softly mentioned to Ginny that he had just read about a witch named Hedwig, wondering if it was the same witch that had authored the book that inspired his owl's name. Ginny murmured a reply Molly couldn't hear, but whatever it was, must have been humorous, because she could just make out the curve of a smile on the side of Harry's face.

Molly stepped back as he turned to show Ginny the book, so he would not see her observing them and returned to the kitchen. She busied herself with preparing dinner, deciding roasted chicken with potatoes sounded appealing on a rainy day such as this. Setting the potatoes to peel themselves, Molly went to the pantry to see what she could make for dessert. Looking over the shelves she pulled down the flour, butter, breadcrumbs, golden syrup, treacle, a lemon, and eggs, deciding a warm treacle tart would go well with the menu.

She was just preparing the dough for the crust, mixing the flour and butter with salt and water when the Floo signalled Arthur's arrival. She heard him greet Ginny and Harry warmly, pausing, she was sure for his customary hug from his daughter before entering the kitchen.

"It smells good in here, Molly," he announced, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, kissing her lightly on the cheek. "Hmmm, are you making treacle tart?" The eagerness in his voice made Molly smile.

"Yes, dear," Molly replied. "Does that sound good to you?"

"Very," Arthur said, stepping away to sit at the table and watch her. "How was your day? Kids behave for you?"

"For the most part," Molly admitted, quickly rolling out the crust for the tart. "I did have a bit of a run-in with Ginny and Harry."

"Oh? How so?" Arthur asked.

Placing the crust in a shallow tart pan, Molly pressed it against the bottom and sides with her fingers before brushing her hands on her apron and turning to face Arthur. He was looking at her with a concerned expression.

"You're working by hand, Molly," he observed. "That's never a good sign."

Molly sighed. "I found them alone in her room, tickling each other."

"All right," he said slowly. "And?"

"And what?" Molly asked. "They were alone, in her room!"

Arthur studied her for a moment, "Don't you think you are overreacting, love?"

"No...Yes!" She shook her head in confusion. "I don't know, Arthur. I feel as if I have been blindsided. I didn't think we would need to worry about Ginny bringing boys home for years and now... I suppose I overreacted, but we have to set some rules. I've already told them they can't be alone in a bedroom, and now we have to explain to them why."

Sighing, Arthur removed his glasses, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and thumb. "This isn't how I had planned on spending my evening. When would you like us to have this discussion with them?"

"At bedtime," Molly suggested. "We won't have to worry about interruptions." Arthur nodded.

Compared to the previous evening, dinner was a relatively quiet affair. When they retired to the sitting room after dinner, Ron and Percy took up a game of Wizard chess and Fred and George contented themselves with flipping through the most recent Zonko's catalogue, critiquing the wares for sale within.

Ginny and Harry had settled on the floor near Ron and Percy to observe their game when Molly glanced over at Arthur. Silently deciding now would be a good time to talk with them while the boys were engaged, Molly approached them and quietly asked them to go upstairs with her and Arthur to prepare for bed. Without protest, the two children silently followed them upstairs and took turns in the bathroom to brush their teeth and change into their pyjamas.

Molly and Arthur sat them on the end of their bed and conjured two chairs to sit in facing them. Ginny sat in her calf length white nightdress covered with tiny pink flowers twisting her hands nervously in her lap. Harry sat clad in plaid pyjama bottoms in Chudley Cannons orange with a matching orange t-shirt. His hands were pressed tightly between his knees and he kept his eyes downcast to avoid looking at either of the two adults.

"Your mother tells me she has forbidden you from playing alone in bedrooms, and you would like to know why," Arthur began, looking between his daughter and Harry. They both nodded silently.

"We've spent a lot of time talking about your bonding and subsequent marriage in front of you, but we have never bothered to explain to you what that means," he continued. "There have been a lot of words and phrases thrown about that you probably don't understand. The first of which is consummation. That's usually a very important thing in a marriage, as it is a way for a witch and wizard to physically express their love for each other after they are united."

"How do you consummate a marriage?" Ginny asked.

"Well," Arthur began and paused as he tried to think of an appropriate way to put into words what consummation meant. He had already had this talk with Bill, Charlie, and Percy, but they had been older and had already expressed an interest in the opposite sex. Talking to pre-teen children was entirely new territory for him.

Fortunately, Molly, having deduced his issue, intervened. "Put simply, a witch and a wizard have different personal parts that are made to allow them to be as physically close as possible. Between two people who are married, it starts with hugs and kisses and leads to sexual intercourse."

"Do you know what that is?" her husband asked, sending her a look of gratitude before taking control of the conversation again.

"We don't want to do that!" Both Ginny and Harry exclaimed, flushing bright red and accompanied by identical looks of utter disgust at Molly's mention of their 'personal parts'.

"Of course you don't," he agreed. "You both are far too young and are not ready mentally or physically. However, as you get older, tickling and hugging may cause you to feel things you don't understand and your bodies to react in ways that make you feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. If you are alone together, you may decide to act on those feelings without thinking things through, and that could cause strife between the two of you."

"We were only having fun today!" Ginny protested. "I didn't want to do anything else, did you, Harry?"

"No!" he gasped in a horrified voice, his green eyes as wide as saucers behind his glasses.

"We just like spending time together," she explained. "Harry's my best friend."

"And Ginny's mine," Harry softly admitted, keeping his head down, and clearly embarrassed.

"That's good," Arthur expressed and Molly nodded, "It would be a terrible thing if you were bonded for life and didn't like each other. Your mother and I started out as friends, just like you. As you grow older, you may find your feelings changing towards each other into something more. That's when it will be important for you to think before you act, and why we are setting the rule that you cannot be alone in a bedroom. It is for your benefit, and is not meant to hinder you playing, enjoying each other's company, and getting to know one another better. Do you understand?"

Both children nodded.

"You have been given a great responsibility without asking for it," he finished. "Your mother and I are here to help you make the right decisions and guide you the best we can. If you ever encounter a situation you need advice on, please don't be afraid to come to us and ask us for help. Right, Molly?"

"Right," Molly agreed.

"Now," Arthur said. "Do you have any questions?"

Ginny and Harry shook their heads, shifting uncomfortably on the bed.

"Well then," Molly announced, "it has been a busy day, and I am sure you are tired. Why don't you crawl into your beds and we'll tuck you in?"

Without a word, Ginny and Harry slipped off the bed and crawled into their camp beds, Ginny's on Molly's side of the bed and Harry's on Arthur's. Molly pulled Ginny's covers up over her as she nestled her head on the pillow, while Arthur did the same to Harry. She heard her husband whisper 'good-night' to the boy before moving to Molly's side to gently press a kiss atop Ginny's head.

Leaving the door open, they retreated to Bill's room situated across the landing from their own. Molly settled into the chair by the desk and set the basket full of yarn sitting on the floor beside it to knitting and looked over at Arthur. He had pulled a book from the shelf next to the bed and had settled on the bed, leaning against the headboard to read.

They sat in companionable silence and it was therefore the reason they were able to hear their daughter softly begin to speak from their room.

"Harry?" Ginny whispered.

There was a long pause and Molly assumed the boy had gone to sleep when he finally responded with a muffled, "Yeah?"

"That was, erm, really embarrassing," Ginny admitted.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, falling silent.

"Do you think maybe we could just forget about it?" Ginny asked. "Just be friends and whatnot, like we've been doing?"

"Yes," Harry said, immense relief colouring his voice.

"All right, good," Ginny replied. "Good-night, Harry."

"Good-night, Ginny," Harry said softly.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

A few weeks later Severus stood in the lane staring at one of the most ramshackle buildings he had ever seen in his entire life. He wasn't quite certain how it was standing upright and strongly suspected that magic was involved in some shape or form.

"That is the Weasley home?" he asked with some derision, turning his head to look over at his companion.

"Always so quick to judge, Severus," Albus blithely commented before opening the gate and walking down the garden path.

Severus followed the Headmaster, gathering his satchel closer to him and dreading the meeting ahead. He had spent the past week studying several thick and dusty tomes he had found in the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts library, attempting to gain a better understanding of soul bonds. He had finally managed to find a volume that described the four possible stages of bonding, which had been somewhat enlightening.

Apparently, soul bonds were the most tenuous, at least in the beginning, but strengthened over time. Of course, in most of the recorded cases, the witch and wizard involved were already of age, so it stood to reason that the strongest of bonds, the physical bond soon followed. Severus logically deduced that forging the physical bond helped to fortify the weaker soul bond. Obviously, Harry and Ginny were far too young to understand or engage in the physical nature of their bond, aside from holding hands and hugging each other. While Severus had no doubt it was quite fun to skip down the lane holding the hand of your best friend, it was not conducive for everyday life.

Therefore, Albus had tasked him with the challenge of discovering a way to enable the two children to function normally without the need to be in such close proximity. Severus had been mulling the situation over in his office when Poppy stopped by with her yearly potion inventory. Having given the list a cursory glance, the Blood-Replenishing Potion near the top of the list had caught his attention as a possible, if albeit, temporary solution to the problem.

He had then set out to brew a substantial batch of the potion as well as a Strengthening Potion. When both elixirs were completed, he had infused them together; effectively creating a Blood Strengthening concoction he hoped would do the trick. He had separated the brew into two large flagons and only needed one more ingredient to add to each solution before he could administer a sample to the children and observe the effects. Hence, why he and Albus were visiting The Burrow only a few days before the start of term.

The Weasley matriarch opened the door not long after Albus knocked and received them cordially, stepping aside to allow them to enter her cramped but clean and inviting kitchen.

"Albus, Severus," Molly warmly greeted. "Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by so close to the start of the new term."

"You appear to be faring better, Molly," Albus observed.

"We've settled in, Albus," she concurred. "I can't say I have completely come to terms with the fact that Ginny is now irrevocably attached to a boy, but I have to admit that Harry is a humble spirit."

"That is good to hear," Albus expressed, turning to partner and giving him a knowing look. Severus kept his expression neutral, as he would try to take the Headmaster's advice and reserve judgement on whether the boy was more like his mother or father until after their meeting.

"As you know, Molly," the Headmaster continued, returning his attention to the plump matriarch, "I asked Severus to aid us in helping Ginny and Harry further adjust. He thinks he may have discovered a provisional solution that will allow them a bit more freedom while they work on physically strengthening the bond."

"How do you suggest we do that, Albus?" Molly warily asked.

"I believe it will be like exercising a muscle," he explained. "They must practice moving away from one another and build immunity to the adverse effects they currently experience."

She nodded. "We can add that to their daily lessons."

"Wonderful," Albus enthused. He looked about the room. "So, where are the children?"

"They are in the sitting room with Arthur," Molly answered, indicating a door to her right.

"Shall we?" he politely asked and with a nod of her head Molly led the two professors into the sitting room.

Severus had steeled himself for this visit, but all the same, he couldn't help the feeling of nausea that roiled in his stomach when he caught first sight of the young boy with tousled black hair sitting on the floor next to a tiny red-headed girl. His first encounter with James Potter outside the Great Hall came flooding back to him...

_James Potter, lovingly doted upon by his elderly parents, was a spoiled rotten, self-entitled little toffee-nosed git who had already gathered a small entourage around him before they had barely set foot inside the school. Regulus Black's older brother, Sirius had instantly glommed onto Potter, finding fraternity with his fellow pure-blood._

_Lily had stuck close to Severus' side all through the train ride and subsequent boat ride across the lake. He had known her excitement was warring with her insecurity, making her a fiery bundle of nervous energy. At one point while they were standing, waiting to be ushered into the Great Hall and Sorted, she had clutched his hand, squeezing it tightly. James, who had been horsing around with Sirius had spotted the gesture immediately, and his hazel eyes had glinted mischievously, his mouth quirking up in what Severus would soon come to realize was his patented smirk._

_"What's this?" he asked, approaching them, with Sirius in tow. He looked questioningly between Severus and Lily, before his eyes finally rested upon the pretty girl. "Do you fancy this git?"_

_"He's my best friend!" Lily declared, continuing to hold Severus' hand as she glared at the arrogant boy._

_"Did you forget to wash your hair or is that grease unnatural?" James asked, looking Severus over as he scratched the back of his head, causing his thick black hair to stick out even more. Sirius snickered behind him._

_Lily sent James a withering glare. "It looks like you forgot something yourself."_

_"Oh?" James asked, his eyes narrowing. "And what's that?"_

_"How to use a comb," she spat before walking away, dragging Severus behind her and leaving a sputtering James beside a guffawing Sirius._

He shoved the painful memory aside and followed Albus as he approached the children, who had scrambled to their feet at the appearance of the Headmaster.

"Hello Albus, Severus," Arthur said warmly, laying aside a book he had been reading and rising from his chair.

"Arthur, a pleasure, as always," Albus greeted and Severus nodded his head in agreement, a smile that felt more like a grimace plastered to his face.

"Harry, Ginny," Albus said kindly, turning to the boy and girl standing in front of him. "I'd like you to meet a friend and colleague of mine, Professor Severus Snape. He is the Potions Master at Hogwarts."

"Hello, Professor," both children said politely.

"Good afternoon," Severus glanced down at the two children who were gazing expectantly up at him and nearly lost his calm composure. The girl, thankfully, looked nothing like Lily. She had dark brown eyes and flaming red hair, as opposed to Lily's green eyes and auburn hair. However, seeing Lily's beautiful green eyes staring at him out of James' face was nearly more than he could bear and bitterness welled up inside of him. James had stolen Lily away from him, wormed his way between them, creating a chasm that had broadened beyond repair after Severus' thoughtless, hurtful words of derision to the one and only friend he had ever possessed.

"Are you going to help us, professor?" Harry asked.

Severus forced himself to look the boy in the eyes. Conflicting emotions roiled within him: irrational hatred, loathing as well as compassion and the urge to protect. Albus had admonished him for holding on to his grudges against his long dead adversary. This was James Potter's flesh and blood, but the boy was also Lily's, and Albus claimed there was more Lily than James in Harry. Severus knew his kind-hearted Lily would help anyone in need, whether they were good or bad. Severus could not allow her legacy to die.

"Yes," he replied, "I am going to help you."

He removed the two large flagons as well as a small knife from within his robes and set all three items upon a spindly table by the window.

"What have you there, Severus?" Arthur inquired, approaching to take a closer look and followed by his wife.

"This is a modified Blood-Replenishing Potion," Severus commented.

"How is that going to help Ginny and Harry?" Molly questioned, looking up at Severus sceptically.

"I am not certain that it will," he answered truthfully. "I have garnered a rudimentary understanding of soul bonding and their situation is unique." He glanced over his shoulder at the children, who were still tightly clasping hands. "Clearly, they are compatible or perhaps we would not even be here today."

"Severus," Molly gasped, her hand clutching at her chest.

"Thankfully, that is not the case," Albus intervened, sending him a warning look.

"I apologize for my tactlessness," he murmured before picking up the knife and turning to face the room again. "In my research I discovered that the physical bonding helps to spur the spiritual bond along."

"That's why we feel better when we hold hands?" Ginny shyly asked.

"Yes," Severus replied. "However, you cannot always do so. I am hoping by taking this potion on a regular basis, you will be able to function better and have more freedom."

"So, if it works," Molly expounded. "They'd be able to be in separate rooms?"

"If it works, they should be able to wander about the house fairly freely of one another," he concurred. "At least, until they build up a natural link. I only need to add one more ingredient and then we can administer the first dose. I will need a few drops of both Ginny's and Harry's blood."

Both children blanched at this statement and their eyes grew wide as they stared at the knife in his hand.

"You have to cut us?" Harry gulped.

"Will it hurt?" Ginny asked, biting her lip.

"Of course," Severus replied, "but only a little."

"I'll go first," Harry bravely said, stepping forward, even as Ginny gripped his hand tighter. "What do you need?"

"Only your free hand," Severus smirked, holding out his empty left hand. Harry hesitantly placed his own left hand upon the potions professor's, who grasped it firmly. "I will merely cut your index finger just a bit and allow the drops to fall into this flagon here." He indicated a flagon that had Ginny's name written in a neat script across the front.

Tugging gently on Harry's hand, he pulled the lad over to the table. "I will be quick," Severus said. Harry nodded, clenching his jaw and staring intently at his imprisoned hand. He gripped the boy's hand tighter and quickly sliced the knife across the pad of his index finger. Harry gasped involuntarily and Ginny squeaked in sympathy beside him. Holding the dripping finger over the mouth of the flagon, Severus allowed several drops to fall within it before pulling out his wand and healing the shallow cut on the finger.

Harry rubbed his thumb over the spot the cut had just been. "I can't even feel the pain anymore."

"I told you it would be quick and relatively painless," Severus remarked before turning to Ginny. "Ginny?"

Nodding mutely, Ginny offered him her right hand. Severus expeditiously performed the same actions on her, dripping her blood in the flagon with Harry's name. After healing her finger, he released her hand to remove two small vials from another pocket within his robes. Taking Ginny's flagon, he stoppered it and swirled the contents, mixing Harry's blood with the contents. He then poured a small amount into a vial and handed it to Ginny. He then swirled Harry's flagon and handed him a small vial of the potion, as well.

"Drink," he commanded, watching them closely.

Wearing nearly identical looks of apprehension, both children lifted the vials to their lips and took tiny sips.

"All of it," Severus ordered, impatience filtering into his voice.

"The quicker you swallow it, the better," Molly offered encouragingly.

They quickly swallowed the remaining contents of the vials, both grimacing, Severus assumed, from the strong iron taste he thought the potion may have. Nodding approvingly, he took the vials from them and placed them on the table next to the flagons.

"Now, how far were they able to be separated before?" he asked.

"No more than a room, if that," Arthur supplied.

"All right," Severus said. "Molly, please escort Ginny outside The Burrow."

Molly hesitated. "Their reaction to separation is awful, Severus. They lose their breath, shudder..."

"As soon as Ginny complains of such effects, stop," Albus suggested. "We will observe from this window."

"All right," Molly agreed. "Come along, Ginny."

Reluctantly releasing Harry's hand, Ginny followed slowly after her mother, disappearing into the kitchen. Severus gauged Harry's reaction while Albus moved to the window to monitor Molly and Ginny's departure. Arthur stood next to Harry, clearly at the ready in case he would have a similar reaction to the one he had exhibited in Adoyrak's office.

They heard the back door open and shut behind Molly and Ginny and silence fell. Not long after, Harry's breathing became a bit laboured, and Arthur stepped towards him, placing his arm about the boy's shoulders.

"Molly and Ginny have stopped a few feet from the back steps," Albus supplied.

"That is further than they have been able to go before today," Arthur said, glancing over at Severus.

Severus nodded. "Then the potion is working for them. I believe the more it builds up in the system the easier it will become and the further apart they can be. I suggest giving them a dose every morning at breakfast and at night before bed."

"Thank you, Severus," Arthur gratefully said, still supporting Harry as Molly and Ginny re-entered the room. Ginny and Harry smiled happily to each other from across the room. The boy had James' smile, Severus observed, but he had crossed one hurdle today. He had aided the boy and managed to treat him civilly which he hadn't thought would be possible. There was hope yet.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

The day after Percy, Fred, George, and Ron had left for school, Harry woke up in his camp bed in the Weasleys' master bedroom feeling a tightness tugging in his chest and sat up, wondering what was causing it. Pulling his battered glasses from beneath the pillow where he tucked them at night, he put them on and glanced around the silent room. Neither the Weasleys were present, nor to his surprise, Ginny, and her absence was the cause of the tight feeling in his chest. Slipping out of bed, Harry padded towards the door and felt the grip on his heart lessen the closer he came to the hallway outside. Stepping out on the landing, he looked down the stairs, but still could not see any sign of life.

"Hello?" he called, suddenly worried that the Weasleys had left him all alone in the still strange house. He knew instantly that it was an irrational fear as it would be impossible for Ginny to go far, even if the Weasleys wanted to leave, but he had to admit he was still waiting for the inevitable day that they treated him just as everyone else always had.

"Harry!" Ginny's happy voice drifted from a doorway down on the first landing that he thought led into her second eldest brother's room. Ginny had showed it to him once, wanting to point out all the Quidditch posters Charlie had collected and Spellotaped to the walls. She had tried to again explain the sport to him and showed him a small golden ball with limp, silver wings. Ginny had told him this was the Snitch that had been used during Charlie's final match played at Hogwarts. His house, Gryffindor had won the match, the season, and therefore the Quidditch Cup, and his team had given him the Snitch he had caught during the final match as a parting gift.

Harry had never been very good at any of the sports played in primary school, and had always been picked last. He was certain Quidditch would be no different, and hadn't paid much attention when Ginny was telling him the rules of the game. Presently, he headed down the stairs to the stand in the doorway of Charlie's room and was surprised to see his friend and her mother airing it out while sheets magically spread themselves over the bed. Harry watched in amazement as Ginny's mum casually waved her wand and the pillows stuffed themselves into shams. She fluffed the pillows herself before setting them against the wooden headboard.

"Mum says you can stay in here now, Harry!" Ginny grinned excitedly when she saw him. "It's right across from my room. Professor Snape's potion is working, and I followed Mum down here today without much trouble. It was bearable, wasn't it, Harry? It'll be nice to sleep in my own bed again."

Harry felt a pang of guilt flood through him at how happy that thought made Ginny and how it was his fault she hadn't been able to sleep in her own bed. Her mother frowned between the two of them, but refrained from commenting, but he knew she was thinking the same thing, too. Harry stood silent in the doorway and simply nodded at Ginny.

Ginny's smile faltered and Harry faintly felt her dismay at his demeanour, and he supposed she had sensed his guilt as well. She stepped towards him he knew to more than likely take his hand to better assess what he was feeling, but her mother's displeasure was evident and she paused uncertainly before speaking once again.

"I didn't mean it like that, Harry," Ginny started as her mother harrumphed loudly.

"I don't want to cause you trouble," Harry said, staring at Mrs Weasley's feet as she moved around the bed.

"It's no trouble, Harry," Mrs Weasley commented, flicking her wand towards his school trunk, which had been placed at the foot of the bed, and a patchwork quilt unfurled from the top of it to settle neatly over the tucked in sheets. She smoothed it out and stood back to assess her handiwork.

Ginny closed the distance between them to firmly clasp Harry's hand in hers. "Stop it, Harry. You have no reason to feel guilty. Mum will never admit it, but I know she's secretly happy you're here. Aren't you, Mum?"

"Ginny," her mother warned eyeing them warily, but blessedly refraining from saying anything more. Even though it seemed Mrs Weasley was warming to him, he still only felt more at ease when Ginny held his hand.

Ginny leaned in closer and whispered loudly, "She's really a big softy, Harry. She will break eventually, you'll see."

"Ginevra!" Mrs Weasley barked, causing Harry to jump and Ginny to smirk over at her mother. "Go to your room and change. After breakfast, I intend on beginning your studies. Harry, we already brought your things down here and they are in the wardrobe. Sort them however you like, dress as well, and I expect to see the two of you in the kitchen in fifteen minutes."

Harry stared in shock at Mrs Weasley and Ginny's silent joy trickled through him. He wasn't quite sure exactly why Ginny was so happy, but he allowed it to soothe his worry and he was able to speak again.

"Thank you, Mrs Weasley."

"Ginny, let go of Harry's hand and go to your room," her mother commanded and stood there with her arms crossed waiting for them to comply.

Harry quickly loosened his fingers, but Ginny gripped his hand a moment longer, defiantly staring back at her mother. Another thing Harry was beginning to detest was being in the middle of these silent matches between mother and daughter. He felt he had no place in them, but invariably he was the cause and had no choice in the matter. He knew that Mrs Weasley felt threatened by the innocent gesture of holding hands because she couldn't understand it. To her it symbolized something he and Ginny had only been informed about, but had no real concept of yet. To him it was merely a way to better communicate with Ginny and at the moment for her to help ease his worries and fears, which were unfortunately numerable. He hoped that his greatest fear, that the Weasleys would reject him and somehow find a way to break the bond in order to be rid of him, would fade and become a distant memory.

"That's never going to happen, Harry," Ginny whispered quietly so only he could hear. "Please believe me." She squeezed his hand reassuringly before letting it go and stepping out of the room.

Ginny smiled at her mother and then Harry a moment longer before heading across the hall, leaving him purposefully alone with her mother. Gulping silently, Harry forced his eyes up to meet Mrs Weasley's and was somewhat surprised to see her observing him thoughtfully.

"Thank you again, Mrs Weasley," Harry sincerely said. She couldn't begin to know how extremely grateful he was, but his feeble appreciation was a start.

"You're welcome, Harry," she replied, stepping past him to head down the stairs.

Harry remained standing in the doorway looking about the room. It wasn't a large room, by any means, but compared to his cupboard it was palatial. The single bed was set in the middle of the wall opposite the doorway and there was a wardrobe to his right. Hedwig's empty cage sat on a bedside table to the left of the bed and there was even a small desk next to the window. Walking over to the window, Harry looked out and could see the front garden of the Burrow and the grassy fields beyond. Until arriving at the Burrow, he had never seen so much open space devoid of any type of structure. It was a very pleasant view and Harry imagined it would be very nice waking up to the sun streaming across his face for once, instead of his cousin's feet stomping down the stairs above him. Or worse, his aunt or uncle wrenching the cupboard door open and flicking on the light, yelling at him because he had overslept.

Opening the wardrobe, Harry saw that Mrs Weasley had already hung up his shirts and trousers. Pulling open a drawer, he found two piles of neatly folded t-shirts and jumpers. Selecting a jumper, he closed the drawer and tugged a pair of trousers off a hanger, before opening the drawer below the t-shirt/jumper drawer and finding his pants and socks. Selecting a pair of socks, he laid the entire ensemble on top of his trunk and quickly dressed.

Afterwards, he lifted the lid of his trunk, finding his school books still neatly stacked in the corner where he had placed them the day he purchased them, and he wondered if he should bring some of them with him. Mrs Weasley had not specified what she intended to instruct him and Ginny on after breakfast. Lifting the stack of books out, he perused the titles, attempting to decipher what they meant: _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_ by Miranda Goshawk seemed self-explanatory, _A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot, easy as well, _Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling and _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_ by Emeric Switch, he had no idea. _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ by Phyllida Spore, _Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arsenius Jigger, _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander, and _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ by Quentin Trimble all were easy enough to figure out as well. Laying them out on his bed, Harry looked at all the covers and decided he would take _The Standard Book of Spells_ and _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_, hoping that Mrs Weasley would explain exactly what transfiguration was.

He gathered up the two books, leaving the others strewn on his bed, and headed across the landing to Ginny's room and knocked softly on the door. Before he had pulled his hand away, Ginny had already flung the door open as if she had been waiting on the other side. She saw the books tucked under his arm and a smile broke out over her face.

"Good idea, Harry," she praised as she joined him on the landing. "Mum always uses Bill's old books, but I bet yours are loads better."

Harry glanced back down at the books. "Ginny, what's transfiguration?"

"Oh, that's when you change an object into something else," Ginny explained.

"Really?" he asked, and Ginny nodded.

"Mum uses it all the time if she runs out of dishes and whatnot," she expounded. "Once, she was so desperate at Christmas, she turned Errol into a serving platter, but none of us wanted to eat anything off him." Ginny made a face of disgust and Harry laughed.

"That sounds useful," Harry commented as they headed down the stairs.

"Oh, it usually is," Ginny agreed. "I wish we could do magic."

"Why can't we?" Harry questioned.

"We're not allowed to practice magic outside of school until we are seventeen and considered adults," Ginny replied.

Harry thought this over for a moment. "Wouldn't it make better sense to begin training earlier? I started primary when I was five."

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know, Harry. That's just how it's done in the wizarding world. Mum's been teaching me grammar, maths, and history just like you've learned, I suppose. The practical stuff."

"You haven't learned any spells?" Harry pressed.

"Not really, no," Ginny answered. "I've watched Mum, and I've nicked my brothers' wands a time or two to try out some spells."

"If you can't do magic until you are seventeen," Harry began. "How can you practice spells?"

"Luna says it's because we live in magical homes, and the Ministry can't tell who's performing the magic," Ginny said with a shrug. "I've only done it a few times, but Mum and Dad don't like it. They caught George once and punished him for a week with de-gnoming the garden. He definitely learned his lesson."

"What's de-gnoming the garden?" he asked.

"You don't want to know," she answered, "It's Mum's favourite punishment and it's one of the worst chores. I'd rather peel potatoes."

Harry thought about all the times his Aunt Petunia had set him to peeling a mountain of potatoes and he silently disagreed. Whatever de-gnoming the garden was could not be as bad as peeling potatoes.

When they entered the kitchen for breakfast, Ginny's mother was just setting two plates heaped high with eggs, rashers, and toast on the table. Harry had never eaten so much food as he had in the past month he had been living with the Weasleys. On the bureau sat the _Daily Prophet_, left there by Mr Weasley when he left for work that morning. Harry glanced at it as he passed to sit at his place and the headline caught his eye. He paused to read it fully: **Gringotts Break-in Latest!** Picking up the paper, he took it to the table with him and began reading the article as he ate his breakfast.

"What are you reading about, Harry?" Ginny asked, leaning over to look at the paper.

"Gringotts was robbed on my birthday," Harry said. "The day we were there. The paper says the vault in question had been emptied earlier in the day." He glanced over to where Mrs Weasley puttered about the sink as the dishes and pots from breakfast washed themselves and lowered his voice before continuing. "Do you think it's a coincidence that Hagrid emptied a vault for Professor Dumbledore that day?"

"I don't know, Harry," Ginny said. "You saw for yourself, Gringotts has thousands of vaults. Any one of them could have been the one that was robbed."

Harry nodded. "I suppose you're right. Just seems kind of odd, I think."

Ginny nodded, but Mrs Weasley turning away from the sink ended any further discussion they may have had on the subject.

"Come on, you two," she announced. "Finish up your breakfast. I'd like to start your studies before lunchtime."

Harry and Ginny quickly ate the rest of their food in silence and spent the first part of the morning reviewing the first introduction of Harry's Transfiguration book. While they couldn't perform any of the spells themselves, Mrs Weasley had been happy to demonstrate a few of the simpler ones described in the book. After that, she set them to work on writing short essays summarizing what they had just read.

After lunch, she sent them outside to play while she cleaned up the kitchen and they were sitting under the tree discussing what they had learned that morning when a girl's voice called from the lane.

"Hello, Harry Potter."

Looking up, Harry saw a small, barefooted, pixy-like girl perching precariously upon the stone wall that ran along the lane. Her heart-shaped face was framed by long blonde hair and her wide blue eyes stared unblinkingly at him from behind rose-tinted glasses.

"Luna!" Ginny exclaimed, and leaped up to greet her friend.

Harry followed slowly after her, drawn by the thread of happiness bubbling within her.

Luna turned her eyes to Ginny and finally blinked. "Hello, Ginny."

Ginny smiled broadly. "Harry, this is my best friend, Luna Lovegood."

Recognition finally dawned on Harry. Luna was the girl who had helped Ginny make the potion that had brought them together. He smiled over at Luna, who was again gazing down at him thoughtfully.

"Pleased to meet you," he said, holding out his hand.

Luna jumped down from the wall and approached Harry. Harry dropped his hand quickly and backed up as she stepped into his personal space. "I saw your picture in the paper, Harry. You were with a giant."

Harry shook his head. "Oh no, that was just Hagrid."

"My father says he's a giant," Luna explained. "He looked friendly enough though."

"He is," he concurred. "He bought me my owl, Hedwig."

"The one who delivered Ginny's note saying it was all right for me to visit again?" Luna asked and Harry nodded. "She is very pretty, like Ginny."

"Luna," Ginny intervened, her cheeks colouring pink at her friend's off-hand compliment. "Harry will be staying with us for a while."

The blonde girl nodded knowingly, looking between the two of them speculatively. "I had no idea our potion would work out so well, Ginny."

"What?" Ginny asked, startled. "No, Luna, Harry's been living with his horrible Muggle relatives and had no idea he was a wizard until Hagrid came and collected him back in July. Professor Dumbledore thought it would be best if Harry stayed with us until he became better acquainted with our world."

"Really?" Luna asked vaguely. "That doesn't explain your auras."

"Our what?" Harry asked, gaping over at the strange girl.

"I can see your auras, you know," she continued. "They are connected."

"Stop being silly, Luna" Ginny nervously said. "You can't possibly see our auras."

Luna removed her glasses and blinked in the bright sunlight several times before looking back at them. "Now I can't."

"Let me see those!" Ginny exclaimed, taking the glasses from her friend and putting them on. She looked her up and down before turning to gaze at Harry. "Complete rubbish! All these do is make everything appear rosy, Luna."

Luna shrugged noncommittally and turned to watch a small yellow butterfly flutter by while singing softly to herself, having seemed to lost interest in the conversation.

Harry stared at her in shock and Ginny stamped her foot. "Luna!"

"Sorry," she apologized, averting her gaze from the butterfly that had disappeared and back to them. "Perhaps my aura-reading glasses only work for me."

Ginny narrowed her eyes, and Harry felt her frustration with her friend building. "Stop playing games with us, Luna."

"I'm not," Luna insisted. "I saw your auras. They are a beautiful golden glow and are twined together. Yours used to be pink, Ginny. I imagine yours may have been green, or perhaps a lovely turquoise, Harry. It's hard to tell.

"What shall we do now?" she asked.

"Well, Harry and I were doing lessons with Mum," Ginny explained. "She let us come outside for a bit of fresh air." She glanced over her shoulder and saw her mother standing at the window observing them.

Luna followed her gaze and waved merrily, flapping her arm over her head wildly. Mrs Weasley smiled thinly.

"Oh dear," she remarked. "Your mother is still quite cross with me."

"No, she isn't," Ginny insisted, turning away from her mother. "She's cross at everything these days."

"Has she been nice to you, Harry?" Luna asked, turning her attention back to him.

"Yes," he simply replied.

"You seem very nice," Luna observed. "Do you miss your parents?"

"Luna!" Ginny hissed.

"Er, I don't remember them," Harry quietly said.

"Oh," Luna responded. "It's all right. I'm sure they remember you."

"Luna!" Ginny said, louder, staring pointedly over at her friend.

"Ginny! Harry!" Mrs Weasley called from the back door. She stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. "Luna, I'm afraid you will have to come back some other time."

"All right, Mrs Weasley," Luna called, nonplussed by the look Ginny's mother was sending her. Ginny handed her glasses back and she promptly put them back on.

"Yes, they must only work for me. You two are positively glowing!" she crowed happily. "I'm glad the potion worked! This is a much better outcome than the idea that I may have poisoned you, don't you think, Ginny?"

Before they could answer, she turned and skipped up the lane. Stopping at the top of the hill, she turned to wave at them one final time before disappearing down the other side.

"So, that's Luna?" Harry asked as he and Ginny walked back towards The Burrow. "She's..."

"Rude," Ginny supplied.

"She wasn't rude, just very - direct," Harry assured her.

"Rude," Ginny repeated, before smiling. "But you'll get used to her. I could tell she liked you, Harry."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Really."


	4. Chapter 4 - Bonfire Night

**Author's notes: **I apologize for posting this late - real life has claimed my attention as of late. I hope you all enjoy and thank you to all who have read and reviewed, so far! Also, thank you to my amazing betas, Arnel, Brennus, and seekers_destiny.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Ginny sat at her desk in her room, gazing out the window and idly twisting a braided bracelet she wore on her right wrist. It had been a birthday present, sent to her by Luna since at the time of her birthday they were still not allowed to see each other. Luna had explained in the accompanying letter that on a recent visit to South America, of all places, her father had discovered the delightful tradition of trading these bracelets and making wishes upon them. The wearer then wore the bracelet until it became worn and fell off, and at that time the wish would come true.

On her birthday, Ginny's primary wish had been that her mother take to Harry sooner rather than later, but she had already made that wish when she had blown out the candles on her cake. Not to mention, that was something Ginny wanted immediately and it might take years for the thick bracelet Luna had given her to wear thin. So, when her father had tied the colourful bracelet around her wrist, Ginny had hastily thought of a different wish; that one day, if things worked out, she and Harry would actually fall in love and have a proper wedding ceremony.

She had blushed scarlet as the wish had crossed her mind and Harry had glanced over at her with the question evident in his eyes. It had been obvious he didn't understand her sudden embarrassment, and for that, Ginny had been grateful. She had to wonder if eventually they would not be able to keep anything from each other and if that was part of the uniqueness of their bond. She was certain that was an aspect of the bond they would have to work towards, and it would take practice. Right now, the only thing they were really focusing on was being able to be separated from each other, and so far, that was going well. Professor Snape's potion was working splendidly, and Harry, at this moment, was downstairs in the sitting room reading his _History of Magic_ book because her mother had insisted he learn about his actual roots. In the month they had been bonded and with the aid of Professor Snape's potion, their empathic and telepathic connections had strengthened. Even though it was going well, and they no longer suffered from some of the debilitating side effects being separated had caused at first, it was still easier to gauge how he was actually feeling when she clasped his hand. However, her mother hated it, and they tried their best not to do it in her presence unless they absolutely had to.

Sighing, Ginny looked down at the maths worksheet her mother had set her to finish before lunch. At the rate she was going, she would not complete it and her mother would make her stay inside and finish it instead of going outside after lunch. Ginny looked forward to the times after lunch because it was one of the only chances she and Harry had to be relatively alone, and the only time they could have a serious discussion about anything they may not want her mother to overhear.

What her mother didn't understand was, that despite the fact that Professor Snape's potion allowed Ginny and Harry to roam much more freely about the house and gardens, there were still times when the best way to gain control and understanding of each other's emotions was by actual physical contact.

Like now for instance, Ginny had a vague feeling of consternation she was fairly certain was not her own. Her maths sheet wasn't that difficult, beside which, she hadn't really started in on it yet, so this feeling must be emanating from Harry. However, he was too far away and she couldn't grasp it fully to understand the cause. If she had been able to touch him, it would have become instantly clear and then she would know exactly what to do to ease the feeling.

Ginny wondered if perhaps her mother was reprimanding him, but straining to listen, she couldn't hear any voices drifting up the stairs from the sitting room. Looking back down at her work, she tried to concentrate on it, but the feeling was not abating and she felt a tug within her, drawing her to Harry. Shoving the sheet aside, Ginny rose hurriedly, and walked down the stairs and into the sitting room, where she found him sitting on the settee staring blankly down at the book opened in his lap.

"Harry, what's wrong?" she asked in concern, wondering at the instincts within her that had kicked in over his distress.

Harry's brow furrowed. "I just read about my mum and dad," he said, indicating the book.

"Oh," Ginny blurted.

"I guess I didn't think it would be in a history book already," he continued. "Kind of makes it final."

"Oh, Harry," Ginny sighed, she hadn't thought about it possibly being in his book either. Of course, her mother had told her there had been myriad articles in the paper about it at the time of the murders and Harry's defeat of the Dark Lord, so it stood to reason that it would be permanently documented. She closed the distance between them and sat down next to him on the settee, then placed her hand lightly on his arm. "I'm sorry," she murmured dumbly, wishing she could think of something better to say.

"It's stupid, but I've been thinking since we saw them in the meadow, maybe they could come back, like we did," he stated.

"It's not stupid," Ginny insisted. "I think it's perfectly normal."

"But we weren't really there, were we?" Harry muttered.

"Yes, we were!" Ginny stated firmly. "You touched your mother, Harry. Don't you remember?"

Harry nodded, "What I mean is only our spirits were there. Our bodies were still in Diagon Alley, weren't they?"

"Yes," Ginny said with a sigh. "I suppose you are right, but look on the bright side, Harry. You know your mum and dad are in the meadow, and she said we could come back one day when we are stronger."

"What does that mean, though?" Harry asked, his frustration leaking through their bond.

"I don't know," Ginny honestly answered. "Maybe she meant when we are older. Maybe one of the things we could work on is trying to visit the meadow in our dreams again."

Harry brightened immediately at this suggestion, and a warm feeling trickled through Ginny, causing her to smile. It always pleased her when she could easily curtail the episodes of gloom Harry sometimes fell into. Not that it wasn't understandable after all both of them had been through in the past month. At least Ginny still had the relative comfort of a home she had grown up in and her parents, even if her mother was making life somewhat difficult at the moment. Harry, on the other hand, had come from an abusive home, although they had yet to really discuss his relatives, and he had been thrust into a strange world he knew nothing about.

"Harry, are you feeling better about being here?" Ginny tentatively asked, keeping her hand on his arm in order to ensure she was reading his response correctly.

Harry glanced over at her and nodded. "Yes."

"Just yes?" Ginny pressed, sensing his hesitation.

"You already know it's loads better than being at the Dursleys. Your parents have been great, and it's been nice having someone to talk to and help me figure things out," Harry answered, his cheeks colouring.

"You mean me?" Ginny asked.

"No, your mum, Ginny," Harry quipped, grinning crookedly.

"She's been awful, I know," Ginny groaned.

"No," Harry said. "She's how I imagine most mothers should be." The wistful tone of his voice wasn't lost on Ginny, and she groaned inwardly. She had started this conversation in the hopes of taking his mind off his mother, and now they were right back where they had started.

"Sorry," Harry added quickly. "I'm not going to dwell on it, I promise."

"You have every right to," Ginny replied.

"I really don't want to," Harry said, closing the book. "How's your maths coming?"

Ginny pulled a face, knowing, as always, he was effectively changing the subject from having to discuss his relatives or her mother. "I haven't started yet," she answered, deciding to humour him, and Harry smirked.

"I guess I'll be enjoying the fresh air while you're stuck inside finishing your work," he commented.

"Not if I can help it!" Ginny declared, accepting his challenge. "I'll be right back!"

Jumping up from the settee, Ginny ran up the stairs and grabbed her maths sheet off her desk, and brought it back to the sitting room. Plopping back down next to Harry, she took the History of Magic book from him and smoothed out her worksheet on top of it.

"Now you can help me if I become stuck," she announced, nibbling on the end of her quill as she studied the first problem. Harry happily helped her since they both knew he had only been teasing about going outside without her.

A few days later, Ginny and Harry were sitting at the kitchen table eating porridge for breakfast when an unfamiliar grey screech owl began tapping on the kitchen window. Mrs Weasley bustled out of the pantry where she had been organizing the shelves to open the window and allow the owl to hop down to the dish drainer. It thrust its leg out towards her and Mrs Weasley removed a thick, creamy parchment envelope tied with a small piece of silk string. She turned the envelope over in her hands and Harry recognized the Gringotts seal on the back from the official letter Adoyrak had sent him and Ginny, requesting they visit him to sign their marriage contract.

Mrs Weasley broke the seal and lifted the flap, pulling out a short letter and an accompanying piece of parchment that looked to be a ledger of some kind. She scanned the letter quickly, her brow furrowing in consternation and then looked over the ledger before tearing her eyes away from the documents to look sternly over at Harry.

"What is this?" she asked, flapping the parchment towards him and causing him to spill the porridge he had been about to spoon into his mouth down his chin instead. Ginny giggled next to him as he hastily wiped his chin with his napkin and stared up at Mrs Weasley in confusion.

"I don't know," he stated. "A letter from Gringotts?"

"I know that!" Molly exclaimed in exasperation. "Why is Adoyrak sending me a statement informing me that two hundred galleons have been deposited into our vault to cover boarding expenses for you for the months of August and September with an additional one hundred to be deposited every month until you are of age?"

Harry gulped, realizing Professor Dumbledore had done as Harry had requested and set up the stipend for the Weasleys to cover the cost of his care. Professor Dumbledore had warned him the Weasleys may not like it, but he wasn't sure how to gauge Mrs Weasley's reaction. Was she angry with him because he had sent her the money or because she didn't think it was enough to cover his expenses? He had tried not to eat more than he needed, but her food was incredibly delicious and she seemed to be constantly heaping second and third helpings onto his plate even when he hadn't asked for them. Not to mention the clothes she had provided for him. So, perhaps he wasn't giving them enough, after all.

"Er," Harry began, only to be cut off by Mrs Weasley as she rampaged around the kitchen in a tirade that made him slink down in his seat.

"Of all the things!" she blustered, slapping the letter onto the table. "The nerve of that meddling goblin! What were you thinking? We did not take you in for your... How could you think... unacceptable!"

"But," Harry started. "You've done so much and you've had no..."

"Do not tell me we had no choice, Harry!" Mrs Weasley commanded before rounding on Ginny. "Did you know about this?"

"Not exactly," Ginny admitted, jabbing Harry in the ribs with her elbow and he knew he was in serious trouble with the both of them. "I knew Harry felt uncomfortable, and thought he was imposing on us, but I tried to reassure him." She looked over at Harry, her brown eyes blazing. "I thought you were feeling better about things!"

"I was," Harry stated. "I am, honestly. I just thought..."

"I know what you thought, Harry," Mrs Weasley interrupted again as she ripped the letter and ledger to shreds. "I'm writing that goblin immediately and telling him he can take that money back this instant and stop all future payments!"

"But!" Harry exclaimed.

"No buts, Harry!" Mrs Weasley fumed. "I will not hear it!"

Already knowing from his short stay that when Mrs Weasley became agitated as she currently was there was no reasoning with her, Harry silently nodded and lowered his head back to his porridge, stirring it with his spoon, but his appetite had gone.

"Eat your porridge, Harry," Mrs Weasley admonished, adding another serving on top of what he had only half eaten. "You need to eat more."

Harry sometimes wondered if Mrs Weasley could read his mind like Ginny could, and Ginny snickered beside him.

"No, Harry," she said. "Mum just sees a skinny boy who needs fattening up." She shoved the sugar bowl and milk pitcher towards him. "I'm still mad at you."

"I know," Harry admitted, having already sensed her annoyance that he hadn't told her about his arrangements with Professor Dumbledore. "Are you annoyed because I didn't tell you or because you couldn't sense it?"

"Both," Ginny said. "I could tell that morning we visited Adoyrak that you had talked to Professor Dumbledore about something you thought was important."

"Why didn't you ask me?" Harry asked, adding two spoonfuls of sugar to his porridge and then pouring half the milk pitcher on top.

"Because," Ginny said. "I didn't want to seem nosy."

Harry's mouth crooked up in a half smile and he glanced over at her. "I wouldn't have thought that."

"I know," Ginny said, smiling back at him before frowning again. "But the other day, you seemed all right, aside from, you know." She left the remainder of her thought unspoken, knowing Harry did not like to discuss his parents in front of her mother. It made Mrs Weasley uncomfortable knowing Harry's parents had been in the meadow, even if she still didn't quite believe Ginny's and Harry's tale about the meadow.

Instead, the two children finished eating their breakfast in companionable silence. They were both fairly adept at knowing what the other one was thinking, but it wasn't always exact. Fragmented words and images of what Ginny was thinking would come to him and he could usually piece them together into a coherent thought. They were supposed to be working on strengthening their connection and guessing what the other one was thinking was a fun game to play when they were particularly bored.

After breakfast, Ginny's mother sent them outside to play while she cleaned up the kitchen and wrote to Adoyrak. Harry was glad for the change in the schedule, especially since Mrs Weasley didn't seem particularly happy with him at the moment. He wondered if she ever would. Things had quieted down considerably since Ginny's brothers had left for school and Mrs Weasley had been very accommodating, making up his new room and ensuring that his needs were met. Mr Weasley had been even more engaging, taking time every night to ask how Harry was faring before grilling him on anything Muggle, which he found extremely amusing. Ginny's father's enthusiasm for Muggles had to be the polar opposite of Uncle Vernon's disdain for anything that had to do with Harry. He now realized his uncle's abhorrence of him had more to do with what he had feared he would become than Harry himself. At any rate, Harry truly enjoyed talking with Mr Weasley and attempting to explain how a microwave or a television worked. He wasn't quite certain how accurate his descriptions were, but Mr Weasley didn't seem to mind.

Settling under the oak tree in their usual spot, Ginny leaned back against the tree as he did the same.

"So," she said, pulling her knees up to her chest and linking her arms around her legs.

Harry grimaced and glanced over at her. "So, er, how upset do you imagine your mum really is?"

"Not as much as you think," Ginny replied.

"I didn't know what to do," Harry confessed. "When I first arrived here it was all so strange and your mum was so upset."

"I know, Harry," Ginny soothed. "I understand."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Harry said. "Quite honestly, after seeing the vault and finding the photo album, I forgot about it until that owl arrived this morning."

"It was really exciting, wasn't it?" Ginny asked. "Seeing the vault, I mean. I had never ridden that deeply into Gringotts before. I can't wait to ride in that rail car again!"

"I suppose we will get to next year when we withdraw money to buy our school things," Harry remarked, plucking at the yellowing blades of grass between his shoes. Ginny's sudden turn in emotion from excitement to discomfort caused him to look over at her. She chewed her bottom lip nervously and crumbled a dry, brown leaf she had picked up from the ground.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Harry asked in concern.

"That's not what I meant, Harry," Ginny said, clearly flustered. "I just want to ride in the car again. I didn't mean I wanted to, oh..." She trailed off, her cheeks bright red.

"Oh," Harry said, as well, catching on to the reason behind her trepidation. She was having the same reaction her mother had just had regarding the amount of wealth Harry suddenly had at his fingertips. He and Ginny had never discussed the trip to the vault past who some of the people in the photo album may be. "Ginny, Adoyrak sent the letter to the both of us regarding viewing the vault and signing all the documents. Your name is on the bank statements. Everything in the vault is as much yours as it is mine."

"But it isn't right, Harry," Ginny protested. "I shouldn't suddenly be able to claim the inheritance your parents left for you."

"It's not about that," Harry protested in return. "Before Hagrid came and told me I was a wizard, I didn't have anything. I'm just like you, Ginny, completely overwhelmed by the idea of suddenly having any money at all. It's nice knowing I have someone to share that with. We can add 'how to handle loads of money' to our list of things we are supposed to be working on. I think it's best not to even dwell on it and just accept it as a fact that you now have part of that fortune, too."

Ginny couldn't help but snicker. "Are you serious?"

"Completely," Harry insisted, relieved to feel Ginny's apprehension abating.

"It's not like mum and dad are going to let us go crazy anyway," Ginny commented. "Not that I would."

"Me neither," Harry agreed. "I wouldn't even know what to buy."

"Good thing we have school lists to follow," Ginny said. "I suppose you won't have much to purchase next year, Harry. The school lists don't tend to change too much. That's why mum and dad have been able to hand things down through the years. They gave Ron Bill's old school robes and cauldron, and some of Charlie's first year books."

"I wonder what Hogwarts is like," Harry mused.

"Well," Ginny said, leaning back to gaze up at the leafy branches, "At the moment, I imagine they are all stuck inside stuffy classrooms, while we are still able to sit outside and enjoy the weather." She grinned over at Harry before returning her gaze skyward.

"The leaves are turning already," she commented. "This is one of my favourite times of the year. Well, this and Christmas. What's yours, Harry?"

Harry was startled by the question. No one had ever bothered to ask him before what his favourite time of the year was and he really didn't have an answer. Christmas had never been a memorable occasion for him and he couldn't say that autumn was much better. Autumn always meant going back to school and having to face Dudley and his gang on a daily basis.

Harry glanced up at the branches, as Ginny was, and noted the green leaves that had already begun to fade to yellow. A cool breeze blew across the garden and the branches rustled. It was peaceful and quiet and he couldn't remember a time where he had ever been able to sit and enjoy a moment such as this. Ginny was his first real friend, and he didn't think it had anything to do with the bond. When they had met in the meadow for the first time in their dreams she had accepted him for who he was before they even knew they were bonded. Nothing had changed between them since the fateful day they had met in person, except that now Harry had the opportunity to spend every day with his best friend. Things had grown easy between them over the two months he had been at The Burrow, and she was the only person he had ever felt comfortable enough opening up to and being completely honest with.

Harry looked over to find Ginny gazing at him expectantly, and he decided on his answer.

"Autumn," he said. "Autumn is definitely my most favourite time of year."

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

September passed into October, with the leaves on the oak tree in the garden turning a lovely yellow before beginning to drift down to cluster at the base of the tree. Severus arrived at The Burrow the first Saturday in October to find Harry and Ginny laughing gaily as they jumped in a huge pile of leaves that sat in the middle of the garden. Arthur stood nearby and would wave his wand after the leaves had scattered and collect them into another pile for the children to jump in. Upon spotting Severus standing at the gate, he waved towards him with a smile of greeting that the Potions Master thinly returned.

It was strange to be thrust into the middle of such a familial setting and he felt ill at ease. It had never been his forte to be sociable at any level and the Weasleys were nothing if not a sociable lot. Fred and George, especially, spent an inordinate amount of time talking, to the point that he had had to resort to separating them in Potions class and deducting twenty house points from Gryffindor. That had thus far curtailed most of the chatter in his class, but he was certain it would not last for long.

Arthur Weasley liked to chat as much as his sons and Severus hoped he could retreat from The Burrow in time for the evening meal at Hogwarts.

"Hello, Severus," Arthur greeted him as he approached. "No Albus today?"

Severus shook his head. "Unfortunately, he was detained at school. An urgent matter involving one of our less gifted students." The student in question had been Neville Longbottom, who had had the misfortune of finding himself in the forbidden third floor corridor facing Hagrid's rabid three-headed monster of a dog. The boy had been fortunate he had escaped relatively unscathed, aside from several deep gashes across his back from where the dog had attempted to catch what he saw as a tasty morsel.

Severus had lectured Albus on the foolishness of keeping such a threat within the castle walls in such close proximity to the students, but Albus had ignored his warnings. Now he had no one to blame but himself for having to face the boy's irate grandmother. Severus had gladly bowed out of Albus' office as she arrived, the stern look on her face brooking no argument that the headmaster was, indeed, in for it. Severus didn't understand the need to guard the wretched Philosopher's stone in the first place. It seemed yet another thing that had disaster written all over it, and he would much rather simply destroy the stone and be done with it. He understood that Albus was hoping to catch the Dark Lord, if he was indeed attempting to return to a living body, but again, Severus felt this was another dangerous scheme to undertake within the school.

However, Albus seemed to think he had things well in hand, and Severus was, after all, simply the Potions Master who had delivered a crucial bit of information to the headmaster so many years ago.

"I hope everything is all right," Arthur was saying, a look of concern on his face.

"Nothing Madam Pomfrey cannot fix," Severus assured, and glanced over to where Ginny and Harry were extricating themselves from the pile of leaves. They brushed errant leaves from their hair and clothes, and still grinning, approached the two older wizards.

"Hello, Professor Snape," Ginny said breathlessly.

"Hello, sir," Harry said, as well, looking up at him expectantly.

"Good afternoon," Severus evenly said. He had not visited the children since administering the potion to them and he had been able to put them from his mind, somewhat. It was far easier not to think about them, but he could not put off the inevitable. Today, he would begin the torturous lessons of Occlumency with them. He planned to begin with the girl, as he thought she would be far easier to deal with. He was not certain he wanted to delve into Harry's mind at all. He feared what he would find there. Severus had been sure to remove all the memories of Lily and James just in case the boy was able to gain even a glimpse into his mind.

"I am here to begin your training in guarding your mind from the invasion of others," Severus said, gazing impassively down at the two of them. "It will take extreme patience and willpower to harness the power to control what others see."

"Wizards can read each others minds?" Harry asked, his eyes wide in horror at the thought.

"Only some, Harry," Arthur assured. "Most cannot, but many Dark wizards in the past, including You-Know-Who have honed the skill in an attempt to gain crucial information."

"Can you read minds, Professor Snape?" Harry asked, looking at Severus speculatively.

"To some extent, yes," Severus replied. "But my skill lies in keeping my secrets close so those attempting to probe my mind cannot learn the truth."

"And you'll teach us that," Ginny said matter-of-factly.

"I will try," Severus said.

"But, you're not a Dark wizard," Harry stated, studying Severus in a way that made him distinctly uncomfortable.

"No!" Severus bristled at the audacity of the boy to question him. His query reminded him of the way James would accuse him of dealing in the Dark Arts. Severus had been the best in his class at Defence Against the Dark Arts, something that had irked James Potter incessantly.

"Harry has the right to the question, Severus," Arthur said quietly. "You, of all people, know we can never be too careful."

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape," Harry said somewhat contritely. "I didn't mean to offend you."

Severus mouth thinned into a grim line, as now the boy sounded like Lily apologizing for questioning a professor over a particular method of casting a spell or brewing a potion. It was going to be a long day.

"I will begin with Ginny," he declared, and looked over at Arthur. "Is there somewhere private we can work?"

"My shed, perhaps," Arthur answered and pointed towards a nearby ramshackle out building.

He led Severus and the children over to it and opening the creaking wooden door, ushered them all inside. Once Severus stepped inside, he was shocked to see the amount of clutter hidden within the thin walls of the building. The workbench was lined with all manner of Muggle contraptions from dismantled cameras to televisions and radios. Shoved in the far corner was a washing machine and dryer and hanging from the ceiling were electrical cords and several different types of lights. Severus spied a hulking shape beneath a tarp at the back of the shed he deduced was some type of Muggle automobile.

Arthur cheeks were tinged pink when Severus glanced his way. "I have a bit of a collection," he offered meekly.

Severus nodded mutely, refraining from saying anything derogatory and offending the man, and instead waited silently. Arthur stood a moment longer behind Ginny and Harry who were shifting nervously on their feet.

"I'll be right outside if you need me," he finally said, leaving the door ajar and retreating to the garden.

Severus looked down at Ginny and Harry who, in turn, looked up at him. Indicating the two stools that sat by the workbench, Severus waited for them to perch upon them before standing before them and beginning to lecture.

"Occlumency is the magical art of defending your mind," he began simply. "Only the most skilled witch or wizard is able to keep all knowledge they do not want revealed to themselves. However, since neither of you has even begun your magical training we will begin simply. I want you to clear your minds of all thought or emotion."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Ginny asked.

"Don't think," Severus archly replied. "I will begin with you, Ginny, when you are ready."

"How do we not think?" Ginny pressed, and Harry nodded beside her.

"Empty your minds," Severus wearily said, realizing this was going to be more difficult than he thought. "Think of the infinite vastness of space. It is dark and empty save for distant stars."

"So, think of space," Harry said.

"Whatever it takes for you to keep information you wish me not to see," Severus responded sharply, "For I can tell you, if you do not clear your minds, I will see your deepest, darkest secrets. The Dark Lord was even more adept at this practice than I am, and he did not hesitate to invade another's privacy."

"But, he's dead," Harry said, "So, who else would try to read our minds?"

"Anyone who remotely has the ability and served the Dark Lord," Severus ground out. "He may be gone, but there are still those who await his return and they would not hesitate to harm he who saw to the Dark Lord's demise." He looked pointedly at Harry and refrained from sneering in response to the brief look of shock that crossed the boy's face. Mentally slapping himself, Severus reminded himself for what felt like the thousandth time that Harry was not James.

He turned back to Ginny to find the girl glaring at him. Her eyes burned with an intensity he found disconcerting in a girl of her tender age. "I am merely telling you the truth. Close your eyes and clear your mind," Severus commanded her, thus ending any further conversation, "Tell me when you are ready. Observe, Harry."

Ginny flicked her eyes nervously over to Harry, who nodded encouragingly. Clenching her hands into fists, she slowly closed her eyes, but her brow furrowed above her closed eyelids.

"Try to relax," Severus suggested. "Imagine you are floating in space."

He waited, watching as Ginny's features smoothed out and her hands opened to rest lightly on her knees.

"Legilimens," he whispered and entered her mind, and met blackness.

_"Mummy!" she cried, sitting up in her bed. "I'm scared!"_

_Molly appeared in the doorway, holding a candle and moved quickly to the girl's side._

_"I dreamed You-Know-Who killed you!" the tiny girl sobbed._

_"He can't hurt you or me, darling," Molly soothed, setting the candle on the bedside table and pulling the girl into her lap. Brushing her damp hair with her fingers, Molly cooed softly in Ginny's ear. "He's gone." _

_Blackness swirled over the couple sitting on the bed and Severus felt the pressure of Ginny pushing back against his intrusion, even as another memory of her sitting beneath an oak tree surrounded by stuffed animals began to form. He immediately withdrew before becoming part of a little girl's imaginary tea party._

"Very good," Severus commented, somewhat surprised at the girl's successful attempt, "You managed to regain some control and purge the memory before I could delve deeper."

"It took all my concentration," Ginny remarked, rubbing her head.

"That is to be expected," Severus responded. "Now, Harry it is your turn."

Severus turned to Harry, his cold, black eyes boring into the boy's bright green ones that were looking back at him nervously. Even though Severus had removed most of his painful memories of Lily, the boy's eyes were dredging up the faintest memories he had long forgotten; from the days he would watch her and her sister, even before he had known for certain she was a witch. Her happy laughter rang through his mind as her sister chased her around the swings at the park, and her beautiful green eyes shone brightly. When he had finally plucked up the courage to approach, she had not shunned him as so many others had. She had accepted him for who he was, a poor boy with mismatched clothes and a cruel mother, angry with her lot in life and taking it out on her only son.

"Prepare yourself," Severus ground out, forcing the hated memories back to the dark corners of his mind.

"Legilimens!" he spat, knowing the boy couldn't possibly have had time to clear his mind.

"Wait!" Ginny protested beside him, but he was already immersed in the middle of the boy's tumultuous thoughts.

_"Freak!" Petunia Evans shrieked as her face leered in front of Severus, and for a moment, he thought they were witnessing one of his memories. Then he realized she looked much older and was dragging him forcibly by the arm down a hall he had never seen to shove him into a small cupboard. "That will teach you to try and shirk your chores and sleep beneath the hedges!"_

_She slammed the door, plunging the cupboard into darkness. Severus felt the normal pressure as Harry attempted to push the memory away from his view. He was hopeful when bright flashes of light burst in front of his eyes that Harry would be successful in pushing Severus from his mind, but instead of returning to his own mind, the light swirled around him and he suddenly found himself in the middle of an unfamiliar meadow. _

_Severus saw Ginny standing in the middle and she turned, her face breaking out in a broad smile when she saw him and she began running towards him._

_"No!" Harry cried in Severus' ear as Ginny enveloped him in the first hug he had ever received. Happiness and warmth flooded through him and tears sprang to his eyes._

_Severus began withdrawing of his own accord, but paused when the doe appeared at the edge of the meadow to silently observe the two children. He stared, transfixed at the beautiful creature and he knew it was she. Her green eyes flashed in the bright sun as she looked directly through him._

_"Don't cry, sweetheart," Lily's voice soothed._

Severus tore his mind from Harry's, and fell back to the floor staring up into the boy's wild eyes. Ginny was already off her stool, rubbing a pale Harry's shoulder with one hand while the other tightly gripped his hand.

"Why didn't you block your mind?" Severus spat, struggling to his knees.

"I tried!" Harry exclaimed.

"Not hard enough!" Severus exclaimed, inexplicably angry with Harry even though he had done nearly as well as Ginny had at blocking him.

"You didn't even give him time to prepare!" Ginny accused, looking scathingly down at Severus.

"Your enemies will not give you time to prepare!" Severus barked, rising to his full height to glare down at the two children. "They will enter your mind and pick your memories like ripe pieces of fruit."

He rifled through his pockets, producing two small vials of Invigorating Draught. He handed them to the children and collected himself.

"I want you both to practice clearing your minds everyday by meditating," he ordered, retrieving the vials from them after they had finished drinking the contents and some colour had returned to their cheeks.

"How?" Harry asked.

"Find a private, quiet place where you can reflect on your memories," Severus replied, looking at Ginny instead of Harry to answer the question. "Then you must attempt to submerge them beneath insignificant memories you would not mind an experienced Legilimens viewing. Eventually, you should be able to alter memories so a reader will see only what you want them to see. I do not expect you to be able to do so for some time, but that is our ultimate goal.

"Now, I must return to Hogwarts. I will see you next month." He swept past them, leaving them to collect themselves and stepped outside the shed to breath in the cool, autumn air. Petunia's livid face loomed in his mind's eye. She hadn't changed, and he clearly recognized the look of derision she had given Harry in his memory. Severus had seen that look countless times, and he had little doubt the boy had spent the last ten years of his life seeing it on a daily basis. Lily would be so displeased to know the fate her son had been subjected to because of Severus' treachery.

"Everything go all right, Severus?" Arthur asked, approaching from where he had been sitting on the back stoop.

"They need practice," Severus curtly replied.

"Occlumency is a difficult magical art," Arthur replied, "and they are only children."

"And why Albus wants them to begin learning now," Severus reminded the man. "If they are diligent in their practice, they will be adept by the time they are of age."

Arthur shook his head. "I still am not sure I understand Albus' reasoning."

"He is not always forthcoming with clear answers to our questions, but he is usually correct with his precautions," Severus remarked.

"True," Arthur agreed. "Molly wanted me to ask you to stay for supper. She's making steak and kidney pie, I think."

"You are generous, but I must head back to Hogwarts," Severus responded.

"Oh yes, the injured student," Arthur remembered. "Not from your house, I hope, Severus."

"None of my students would be so dense as to disregard the headmaster's warnings at the beginning of the school term," Severus sniffed. "It was a Gryffindor."

Arthur smiled at this. "Looking for a bit of adventure, I suspect."

Severus declined from answering as he thought Longbottom was the least likely candidate to purposefully look for anything that may lead to adventure.

"I will see you next month, Arthur," Severus said. "Please send my regards to Molly."

Without waiting for a response, he walked briskly down the garden path, opening the gate and quickly Apparating away from the happy hovel to appear in the lane just outside the gates that led to Hogwarts. Waving his wand at the locked gates, they swung easily open for him, allowing him entrance to the grounds.

He walked up the steep path, embroiled in his thoughts of what he may find the next time he entered Harry's mind. The boy could not possibly have any memories of Lily, and yet Severus had clearly seen the doe and heard her voice. He wasn't sure Harry was even aware of the doe's presence in that memory, as the boy's thoughts had been centred on the little girl standing in the middle of the meadow. Had it been a dream?

Severus longed for Lily to visit him in his dreams, but all he ever saw was the nightmarish image of her lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling of the nursery in Godric's Hallow. No matter how much he tried to change the events in his dreams, she always wound up lying dead in his arms.

Perhaps he should tell Albus he couldn't do it. He wasn't certain he could face Harry again. It was too painful. Albus could teach the boy and Ginny Occlumency as well as Severus, if not better. Why should he be subjected to the torment it would cause him? He already knew the answer. No doubt, Albus thought he was doing him a favour, and this would give him some sort of closure. Severus knew he could never fully have closure because he had never had the courage to tell Lily how he really felt. The words would remain unspoken in his heart forever and he would hold them and the treasured memories he had of her close and take them to his grave.

He gazed up at the castle, many of the windows and the flaming torches by the entrance doors casting a warm glow over the grounds. He passed by Hagrid's hut, smoke curling from the chimney and the strong odour of something vile simmering on his fire tingeing the air. The groundskeeper had mentioned something about boiling bubotuber pus to make a paste for the Care of Magical Creatures professor, Silvanus Kettleburn. Apparently, the fire crabs had developed a bad case of acne.

He was continuing past Hagrid's hovel when he thought he spied someone lurking just beyond the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Squinting, he saw a flash of purple that looked distinctly like Quirinus' ridiculous turban. Why the man would be skulking about the forest was beyond Severus, since as far as he had been able to deduce from his encounters with the man, the Defence professor was afraid of his own shadow.

Switching direction, he headed towards the forest, stepping into the cover of its darkness and scanning the immediate area.

"Come out, Quirinus," he called.

A rustling of leaves behind a nearby tree alerted Severus and he turned in time to see Quirinus shuffle out. The Defence Against the Dark Arts professor looked nervously about him, his left eye twitching as he twisted his hands in front of him.

Severus narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What are you doing slinking about the Forbidden Forest?"

"I-I was l-looking for D-doxies," Quirinus stuttered.

"Really?" Severus inquired. "For what purpose?"

"F-for my f-first year class," the quivering man answered.

"But you have only been teaching them the theory," Severus replied. "Surely you aren't going to allow your students an opportunity to actually cast a spell in class."

"N-no, of c-course n-not!" Quirinus cried.

Severus snorted, knowing Quirinus was terrified of the thought of an errant spell hitting him. He was an abysmal instructor and had been little better as the Muggle Studies professor. At least then there was no fear of his students requesting to learn actual spells. Severus still did not understand why Dumbledore had given Quirinus the position of the Defence Against Dark Arts over himself, but had ceased to question the headmaster's plethora of questionable decisions.

"Come back to the castle, Quirinus," Severus commanded, stepping aside to allow the other professor to exit before him. As he passed a terrible stench emanating from Quirinus' turban filled his nostrils. He wrinkled his hooked nose up in disgust and quickly fell into step beside the man to avoid being downwind of him.

"W-where did you g-go today, S-Severus?" Quirinus asked as they walked up the path towards the castle.

"That is none of your concern," Severus coldly retorted.

"W-we were wondering in t-the t-teacher's lounge if it h-had anything to do with Longbottom," Quirinus continued.

"No," Severus said succinctly.

"L-longbottom's v-very t-timid," Quirinus observed. "I w-was surprised h-he didn't w-wind up in m-my house."

"Yes," Severus replied. "You would understand timidity very well, wouldn't you, Quirinus?"

Quirinus laughed timorously. "I-I d-did travel the w-world, you know. L-looking for You-Know-Who."

"And yet, here you are," Severus dryly replied. "Apparently he was not to be found."

"N-no," Quirinus said. "I s-suppose H-harry P-potter really did destroy him. F-funny thing, S-severus. I may n-not have found You-Know-Who, b-but I did m-meet Harry P-potter this p-past summer. I was under the impression h-he'd be attending Hogwarts th-this year. I w-wonder what happened to him?"

"Perhaps, you were mistaken," Severus said, suddenly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation had taken.

"N-no," Quirinus said, shaking his head. "Rubeus introduced m-me. I've asked Rubeus, and h-he suddenly h-had p-pressing business s-somewhere else."

"Something must have happened," Severus said. "Perhaps Mr Potter's relatives decided not to have him attend Hogwarts."

"P-perhaps," Quirinus said, but he sounded unconvinced.

"Why do you care?" Severus asked.

"J-just hoping t-to h-have the chance t-to get to know him better," Quirinus replied. "Aren't y-you c-curious h-how he did it? H-he was j-just a b-baby, after all."

Severus refrained from responding and his lips formed a thin line as they walked up the steps to the entrance. Albus needed to be informed of Quirinus' curiosity immediately. It would not do for rumours to begin flying about the school over Harry's absence. The sounds from the Great Hall filled their ears and Quirinus headed eagerly towards the doors. Severus followed, glancing quickly down the line of the head table and seeing that Albus was indeed seated in his place speaking with Minerva who sat on his left, about Longbottom, no doubt.

Taking his seat next to Quirinus, Severus helped himself to the fish and chips piled on the platter before him and poured himself a goblet of ale. While the students had water and pumpkin juice in the pitchers at their tables, the professors were afforded a stronger drink as a choice with their supper. Severus took a generous swig, tuning out Quirinus' continuous chatter that now was about the upcoming Quidditch match between Slytherin and Gryffindor. He could care less, especially since the new Gryffindor Seeker was a third year who could barely stay on a broom. Slytherin would easily trounce them.

At one point during the evening meal, he glanced down the table towards Albus and saw the headmaster looking his way. They exchanged a brief and silent conversation indicating that they should after supper. The headmaster excused himself not long after and Severus tarried just long enough not to garner suspicion from the remaining professors before slipping out the side door of the Great Hall.

"Quirinus has been inquiring about Harry's whereabouts," he informed Albus after they were safely ensconced in the headmaster's office.

Albus sat behind his desk and steepled his fingers together, mulling this information over. "I am aware of it," he finally replied, not sounding the least bit concerned. "Hagrid has promised me he will not reveal what he knows."

"How can you trust that oaf?" Severus asked. "He has never been good at keeping secrets."

"He will keep this one, I am sure of it," Albus assured him. "After all, he is not fully aware of the bond between Harry and Ginny. There is not much he could divulge past the fact that Harry is now residing with the Weasleys. Do not worry, Professor Quirrell is harmless."

Severus snorted. "Why you rehired him as the Defence professor I will never understand."

"His position as the Muggle Studies professor was filled and we needed a Defence instructor," Albus reminded him. "Would you rather I had given the position to you? If I had, I would then have had to find a new Potions Master, and there is no one as skilled as you, Severus."

"You flatter me," Severus replied dryly.

"I prefer you where you are," the older wizard said with finality.

"What are you going to do about Quirnus' inquiries?" he pressed instead.

"Nothing," Albus replied. "The inquiries are harmless and better to ignore them altogether. It is no secret that Harry was in Diagon Alley that day making purchases for the upcoming school term. I have no doubt Arthur and Molly will come up with a suitable cover story.

"Now, speaking of Harry. How did your lesson with him and Ginny go today?"

"As well as could be expected," Severus answered. "The girl has already shown a natural ability at blocking her thoughts."

"And Harry?" Albus asked.

"He will be more difficult," Severus replied. "His thoughts are tumultuous."

"I imagine so," Albus mused, and studied him a moment. "You appear troubled by this, Severus."

"If I am troubled it is only because it will make my job of training him that much more difficult," Severus replied.

"Severus," Albus counselled. "I know you intended to keep your distance from Harry had he attended this year, and I understand that, my friend, but that is no longer a possibility."

"I am aware of that, Albus," he ground out.

"He needs to trust you," the headmaster continued. "I have no doubt he would appreciate the stories you could tell him about his mother."

"I," Severus began, hesitating. Albus did not know what he was asking. How could Severus possibly tell Harry about his mother without talking about his father? Severus had nothing good to say about James Potter, and he was sure the derogatory remarks he made towards James would do nothing to build trust between him and the boy. "I cannot do that."

Albus nodded. "Yes, I suppose you are not ready for that yet, but perhaps one day, Severus?"

He nodded stiffly.

"In the meantime, keep a close eye on Quirinus for me?" Albus asked. "While I don't see him as a threat, it doesn't hurt to be cautious."

**hghghghg ghghghghg**

The streets of Ottery St. Catchpole were teeming with young children and teens alike, clamouring to participate in all the festivities the village had to offer. Normally, the Weasleys had made a day of it, but Molly had been so nervous about Ginny and Harry being seen in public that she had decided they should remain home this year. Ginny had practically begged them after Luna had said she and her father would be attending, and finally after much convincing from Arthur and pleading looks from Ginny, Molly had acquiesced.

Naturally, the two children were thrilled for the change of scenery after spending three months cooped up at The Burrow and were chattering happily about the displays in the village. From the snatches of conversation that drifted back towards Arthur and Molly, Arthur gathered that Harry had never before participated in any holiday events unless they had been offered by the Muggle primary school he had attended. Glancing over at his wife, he wondered if she was catching any of the children's conversation, but she was urgently scanning their surroundings as they walked down the lane while she nervously fingered her wand, which was hidden in her jumper pocket.

Silently, Arthur reached over and took her hand, linking his fingers through hers and squeezing them reassuringly. "Stop worrying. They need this. We all do."

"I can't help it," she replied, but didn't try to withdraw her hand.

"I know, Molly," he agreed, "but we have never worried about attending festivals in the village in the past. Why start now?"

Molly nodded towards Harry and Ginny as their daughter grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the window of the local bakery that had an effigy of Guy Fawkes created out of cakes, scones, and assorted rolls. Arthur had never seen Ginny happier than when she was with Harry. She had always been a bubbly, bright, and enthusiastic little girl with an immense love of life. He wasn't sure how that could possibly be multiplied, but he was mistaken. Where his daughter had glowed before, now she practically shined, especially whenever Harry laughed at a silly joke she made and beamed a wide smile Arthur was certain the poor boy had never had an opportunity to use before meeting his daughter.

"Nothing has changed," he commented.

"How can you say that?" Molly asked scathingly. "Everything has changed! Our ten-year-old daughter is married, Arthur!"

"I thought you were coming to terms with that," he said wearily. "It's out of our hands, Molly."

"That's what I detest the most," she retorted. "We had no say in the matter. Neither did Ginny or Harry. They didn't have a choice. Now there is no chance of them having a normal life, dating, discovering what they could have been."

"Ginny is happier now than I have ever seen her, and I dare say, so is Harry," Arthur replied, studying his wife closely in the faint light from the street lamps on the street.

"Harry I can understand," Molly commented, "But why does he make Ginny so happy? They barely know each other."

The proprietress of the bakery stepped out of the shop before Arthur could reply holding a tray that contained small hot Cornish Pasties nestled in their own wax papers. Smiling broadly down at Ginny and Harry, she held out the tray for them to each select a pasty. Arthur fumbled in his pockets, searching for the few Muggle coins he had managed to find, but the shop owner waved him away.

"It's on the house, dearie," she called, as Ginny and Harry turned away, thanking her.

Molly and Arthur did the same, declining any for themselves and continuing to follow closely after the children as they wended their way down the lane. In a tradition that was hundreds of years old, the street was lined with most of the village men, awaiting their turn to carry one of the flaming fifty-pound tar barrels to the centre of the village where the flickering glow of the huge bonfire could be seen. The exact reason as to why villagers of long ago had decided to carry flaming barrels through the town was unknown, but the tradition remained due to the spectacle it added to the occasion of Guy Fawkes Day.

"Well," Arthur said, picking up the conversation where they had left off, "It's clear they've become fast friends. Ginny appears to be as close to Harry as she is to Luna."

"Do not even speak to me about Luna!" Molly seethed. "This is all her fault."

"Albus has already told us several times the potion had nothing to do with Ginny bonding with Harry," Arthur reminded his wife, "It was merely coincidental."

Molly snorted, "Something caused it."

"And maybe one day we'll discover what that something is, but in the mean time I think we should try our best to accept it," Arthur suggested.

"She's my only daughter," Molly sighed.

"And mine, but what we want most is for her to be happy," Arthur said. "Look at her, Molly."

They watched silently as Ginny and Harry meandered down the lane eating their Parkin cakes and pointing and laughing at some of the village children's attempts at Guy effigies. Ginny's nose crinkled up as she giggled over some particularly amusing observation Harry had just made and Molly sighed beside Arthur.

"Harry's a nice boy. He makes Ginny happy, and in the long run, that is all that is going to matter, Molly, and you know it," Arthur said softly, taking her hand in his and squeezing it tightly.

"I know," Molly whispered.

"Try to enjoy yourself tonight?" Arthur asked, hopefully and Molly relaxed slightly next to him, nodding slightly.

Smiling, he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him and enjoying her comforting warmth, hoping she was receiving some sort of similar solace from him. They continued to walk slowly and silently down the high street after the children, and upon reaching the bonfire, they could see that most of the village had turned out for the event.

Looking over the crowd, they tried to find Luna and her father. Arthur assumed they wouldn't be too difficult to find. Most of the villagers wore the typical jumpers and jackets with jeans and boots that all Muggles wore this time of year, but the Lovegoods were never the best at blending in. With Arthur's avid enthusiasm for Muggles and his extensive research and observation, he had taught his family well. He and Molly were clad in garb similar to those they saw around them and both Harry and Ginny looked like any of the multitudinous village children they had encountered. Of course, having Harry, who had recently been under the care of Muggles all his life, was an added bonus. He had quietly suggested that the flowered shirt Arthur had intended to wear, while not uncommon, may not be the most appropriate attire for the season and had selected a blue plaid shirt for Arthur to wear instead.

Walking amongst the crowd, they were greeted jovially by villagers who recognized Arthur and Molly and they returned their greetings, while Molly corralled Ginny and Harry closer to her.

They finally spotted the Lovegoods on the other side of the bonfire, where they had been considerate enough to reserve a bench near the fire. Arthur grimaced when he saw what Xenophilius was wearing. He wore tight burgundy corduroy jeans that flared boldly at the bottom and a bright, purple paisley print shirt underneath an equally bright yellow

cardigan. Luna's attire was little better, consisting of bright orange cable-knit cardigan several sizes too large for her petite frame, paired with a red swing skirt, pink and white striped stockings and yellow Wellingtons.

Luna reached out and grabbed Ginny's and Harry's hands, dragging them towards the bonfire.

"Let's get potatoes," she announced. "Did you bring mittens?" She pulled out a fluffy pair of purple mittens and put them on. Ginny and Harry pulled out their own knitted blue mittens Molly had given them before they left for the evening and pulled them on in order to handle the foil wrapped potatoes that had baked in the fire.

A village woman standing near the fire, smiled as they approached and didn't seem to find Luna's attire too out of the ordinary. She handed them each a small, silvery bundle and the three children headed eagerly back to their bench to sit.

"Wait until you see the fireworks, Harry," Ginny said, settling on the bench next to him and placing her still wrapped potato in her lap.

Luna sat on his other side and immediately began pulling the foil off her potato, taking a tentative bite of her potato before immediately spitting it back out. "Too hot!"

"Of course it is!" Ginny admonished her friend. "It's straight from the fire. Try breaking it in half to cool."

Ginny and Harry unwrapped their potatoes and did as she suggested, clumsily breaking them in half and watching the steam rise in the air.

"This is the first Bonfire Night I've attended," Harry said.

"Oh, really?" Luna asked. "They are quite fun, and the fireworks are pretty, as Ginny said, but wizard fireworks are better. Daddy and I saw the most amazing ones while visiting Brazil. They looked like dragons!"

"Really?" Harry asked, turning to look at Luna.

"Oh yes, I didn't realize it was only a firework, at first," Luna continued. "I thought it was real!"

"There's no such thing as dragons," Harry said.

"Yes there is, Harry," Ginny said. "My brother, Charlie, works with dragons."

"Dragons are real?" Harry asked, amazed as both Ginny and Luna nodded their heads.

"Not so loud, kids," Arthur softly said from behind them where he stood with Molly and Xenophilius. Several of the nearby villagers kept stealing glances their way, and Arthur wasn't certain if it was because of the children's conversation, Xenophilius' odd attire, or both.

Xenophilius seemed oblivious to his surroundings and was watching the children with a beatific smile on his face similar to the one Luna often wore.

"So, how is it you have Harry Potter living with you, Arthur?" he asked, tearing his eyes away to look at Arthur.

"It was upon Professor Dumbledore's request," Arthur easily answered.

Xenophilius nodded, but his brow furrowed slightly, "Shouldn't he have attended Hogwarts this year? If I am not mistaken, he is about the same age as Ron."

"Yes," Arthur agreed, but didn't know how to further answer the question.

"He's adjusting," Molly interjected firmly, before lowering her voice. "He didn't know the truth about himself or his parents. It was a shock."

Xenophilius' eyes widened at this statement. "He didn't know?" he whispered, turning to study Harry closely. "He's a sensitive child, then, like my Luna. She has taken a shine to him; can't stop talking about him." He turned back to Molly and Arthur. "I'm glad you finally allowed Ginny to see her again. She missed her friend this summer, and now she has a new friend. I haven't seen her this happy and this close to the girl she used to be in a long time.

"And I'm glad no harm was done with that silly potion of theirs," he hastily added.

"Yes, no harm done," Molly managed.

Raucous cheering ended any further conversation as the village men approached carrying a flaming fifty-pound barrel. They trudged towards the blazing bonfire and the crowd cheered the men on as they approached with their heavy load. When they reached the bonfire, they flung the barrel into the middle of the flames causing them to flare higher. Cinders sparkled in the air and rained down around the observers.

Ginny, Harry, and Luna squealed in delight and turned their faces heavenward to watch the flames licking at the night sky.

"Pretty exciting," Arthur observed, kneeling down behind the children to look up at the sky with them. Not long after, the fireworks began, and while not nearly as thrilling as wizard fireworks, as Luna had said, they all enjoyed them immensely. Arthur was hopeful when Molly stepped up beside him and placed a hand on Ginny's and Harry's shoulders. If nothing more, it was a start.


	5. Chapter 5 - Harry's First Christmas

**Author's Notes: **Hello again everyone! I am afraid I have gotten off my posting schedule and quite honestly can't remember when I posted last. I think I might need to make use of a calendar ;) Anyway, thank you to everyone who has been reading and commented. I've noticed several who have favourited this story, as well, so thank you for that! I made the final edit on this chapter while I was working my day job, so any mistakes are solely my own. Thanks go out to my betas, Arnel, Brennus, and seekers_destiny! Enjoy!

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Harry woke up Christmas morning in his warm bed and pulled the faded, but thick and soft quilt up to his chin, gazing at the fuzzy ceiling. Without his glasses he couldn't make out the cracks in the plaster or the creased and worn Quidditch posters that Charlie had Spellotaped to the walls when he had still lived there. The wardrobe was a hulking, dark brown blob in the corner and Harry's blue jumper that he'd been wearing yesterday and thrown over the desk chair before climbing into bed looked like a lumpy shrub. The greyish winter light of early morning was filtering in through the window and looking down at the foot of his bed Harry realized there was an extra indistinguishable mound there. If he squinted it looked like it might be a pile of dirty laundry, but he didn't recall leaving any clothes other than his jumper lying about. Perhaps Mrs Weasley had finally decided to stop pretending to be somewhat cordial and nice to him and was now expecting him to pitch in with laundry and other household chores.

Sitting up slowly, Harry reached for his glasses that rested on the bedside table, and put them on, bringing the room in clear focus. His eyes widened in surprise behind the lenses when he saw that the mound on his bed was not a pile of laundry, but actually several brightly wrapped presents.

"I have Christmas presents," he whispered in the empty room. Tentatively, he leaned forward and pulled a small, square package into his lap and simply looked at the red paper and golden ribbon. He'd never held a present before and certainly never one that was addressed to him. Once, when he was four, he had made the mistake of touching the ribbon on one of Dudley's Christmas presents and his aunt and uncle had swatted the hand with a ruler. It had hurt horribly, but crying only made it worse, and the only thing he had wound up receiving for Christmas that year was an angry red mark across the back of his hand. Cautiously, he touched the ribbon around the present, but no one jumped out to reprimand him, so he proceeded to untie the ribbon, and carefully unwrap the package, attempting not to tear the paper. When the box was revealed he lifted the lid and read the brief note inside:

_Fred and George mentioned to me that you had a natural skill flying on a broom and had a keen eye. I thought you might have use of this. _

_Professor McGonagall._

Harry set the note aside and pulled back the creamy tissue to reveal a golden practice Snitch. At least he thought that was what the small ball was, and when he pulled it from the box, tiny wings opened up on either side and fluttered rapidly against his hand. Smiling, he let the Snitch go and watched it fly around his room, zipping and jerking about as it changed directions. Pushing the covers aside, Harry stood up in the middle of the bed and waited until the Snitch drew closer, quickly reached out and ensnared it once again in his hand. He grinned happily, opening his palm and allowing the Snitch to start to fly away before capturing it once more. This would definitely be a fun game to play and he imagined it would be even more exciting to try to catch the little golden ball while flying on a broom.

He stuffed the Snitch in his pyjama bottom pocket and sat back down on the bed to open another gift. The next was a small package from Fred and George. After their teasing before they left for school and the gentle ribbing he and Ginny had endured since they had returned for the holidays, Harry was tempted to set it aside. However, his curiosity got the better of him and found himself tearing at the wrapping to find they had given him a small box of Dr Filibuster's Fireworks. Their accompanying note was somewhat of a riddle: _These are the only fireworks you are allowed to have._ Harry shrugged the note off and unwrapped a small box from Ron that contained a box of Chocolate Frogs. Percy's gift was the most boring of the lot and consisted of a Self-Inking quill.

The next package was heavier and wrapped in plain brown paper and twine and he instantly recognized Hagrid's messy scrawl. Pulling the twine off and tearing into the paper, Harry opened the box and saw that Hagrid had sent him a cake and owl treats for Hedwig. Harry grimaced, remembering the birthday cake the grounds keeper had made for him. It was the thought that counted, however, and Harry was merely grateful to have gifts to open, no matter what the boxes may contain.

A long, flat box wrapped in silvery paper caught his eye and Harry chose to open it next. When he picked it up, it felt remarkably light for being such a big box in comparison to the others and he was immediately curious to its contents. The paper was actually tissue paper and there was no way for him to unwrap it without tearing the paper to shreds, so he didn't even try. Pulling off the lid, a silvery black fabric spilled out over the sides of the box and into his lap. Harry picked it up and unfolded it to reveal what he thought might be a cloak of some sort. A piece of parchment slipped out and Harry picked it up to see who had sent the cloak. However, the note was not signed and simply stated:

_Your Father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well._

Harry studied the writing, as it looked familiar to him, and then he realized it was Professor Dumbledore's, which he had seen many times over the recent months from short letters inquiring how he and Ginny were getting along.

Harry stared down at the shimmering fabric. He was holding something that had belonged to his father, and a thrill ran through him. Aside from the family heirlooms he had seen briefly in the Potter family vault, he had not actually been in possession of anything that his parents may have had while they were alive.

Rising once again, Harry slipped off the bed and pulled the cloak around him and instantly his body disappeared. "Gah!" Harry yelped, as the first fingers of panic seeped into his brain, only to be chased away by the more rational side that told him he could still feel his body, so there was no need to panic. He looked down his front and saw that his stocking feet were poking out from underneath the hem of the cloak and he wiggled his toes, relieved that yes, he seemed to be fully intact.

He was about to take the cloak off, when his door burst open and a harried looking Ginny rushed in, looking about wildly. "Harry!" Her eyes alighted on him and she screeched in terror. "What happened to you?!"

Harry looked at her in confusion and then realized all she could see was a floating head, which he imagined must be a very strange sight indeed. Grinning, he pulled the cloak off and her fear was instantly replaced by anger.

"Well, that was a mean trick!" she yelled. "You scared me to bits!"

Harry realized his spike of elation followed by panic must have reached her and he was immediately very contrite. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I was a bit shocked myself for a moment." He held the cloak out to her. "What do you think this is? Professor Dumbledore sent it to me and says it was my father's."

Ginny's anger faded as quickly as it had risen and she beamed at Harry. "What a wonderful present, Harry! It looks like a cloak."

"I know, but when I put it on, well, you saw, my whole body disappeared," Harry stated.

"Put it on again," Ginny said, eyeing the cloak speculatively and Harry complied, this time pulling it over his head as well. "You've disappeared completely! Blimey, Harry, I think that may be an Invisibility Cloak! I've only heard about them because they are extremely rare. Not to mention that I didn't think they lasted very long. If that was your father's, then it must be over twenty years old."

"I want to see how it works!" Harry exclaimed, pulling it off and handing it to Ginny. "Try it on."

"Really?" Ginny asked excitedly, taking the Cloak from him. Harry nodded, and beaming, she pulled the Cloak over her head and body.

Harry watched in amazement as she disappeared from her head down to her toes. "That's brilliant!" he declared.

She pulled it off, her hair lifting off her scalp with the static electricity caused by the Cloak and handed it back to him. When he took it from her, his fingers brushed the backs of her hands and Harry felt a tingle run up his arm along with her happiness that he had shared his present with her. He folded the Cloak and placed it back into the box.

"You still have a few presents to open, Harry," Ginny observed, nodding towards the packages that remained on his bed. She settled on the edge of his bed and handed him a lumpy one. "This one is from my mother."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise and with her close proximity he could feel Ginny's internal shock over the fact. So, she hadn't been so certain he'd receive a present from her mother either. Taking the package from her, he sat next to her and opened it. Again material fell out of the paper, but this time it was lumpy and black. Pulling it out, he saw that it was a scarf, but Ginny's dismay was apparent.

"Your mum knitted me a scarf?" Harry asked.

"She knits all of us jumpers every year for Christmas! It's a tradition," Ginny seethed, "and all she made for you was a scarf! She did it on purpose to be spiteful!"

Harry felt Ginny's anger, but didn't share it. He was grateful that Mrs Weasley had thought to give him anything at all, even if it was just a scarf. As with Hagrid's cake, it was the thought that counted.

"Harry," Ginny said softly. "I am so sorry. You don't have to like it just because it was given to you."

"No," Harry replied. "It really means a lot to me that she bothered at all. I know it's been really hard on her."

"Stop being so nice!" Ginny scolded. "I'm tired of my mum treating you this way."

"She treats me a lot better than my relatives ever did," Harry reminded her.

"I want her to treat you like she treats my brothers," Ginny pouted.

Harry sighed. "Ginny, I've only been here four months. I think it's going to take a lot longer for your mum to accept me."

Wordlessly Ginny reached over and clasped his hand, and he immediately felt how deeply her hurt and anger towards her mother ran. Closing his eyes, Harry absorbed it, trying to temper her feelings with his own. To him, receiving a gift from Mrs Weasley was definitely better than not receiving one at all. _Don't be upset._

Ginny jerked next to him and peered over at him, confusion filling her brown eyes. "Did you just say something, Harry?"

"No," Harry replied. "I just don't want you to be upset."

"That's what I thought you said," Ginny affirmed. "Did you think it?"

"I suppose so," Harry mused.

"Try again," Ginny urged. "Think of something to say, but don't actually say it."

She stared at him expectantly, making him feel incredibly nervous, and Harry felt his cheeks tinge red. Ginny giggled, which only made it worse. Now that she wanted him to think of something, his mind had gone completely blank. _ I can't think of anything._

Ginny snickered again. _You did it again._

_So did you. Wait. We're talking to each other just like my mum did in the meadow._

_This could be fun!_

_Let's try without holding hands._ Harry released Ginny's hand and formulated a simple question. _Can you hear me?_

_Yes._ Harry could feel a thrill that Ginny shared, even though her response had been fainter than when they were holding hands. It was a start. He was certain the range was limited, so standing up, he left her sitting somewhat bewildered on the bed, and walked out into the hallway and up the stairs to the second floor. _Can you hear me now?_

_Barely._ Ginny's reply whispered through his head. It was strange, like she was still there in some ghostly form. However, he had just deduced that the range of their telepathy was about half what their current physical distance could be. Four months ago, they could not be separated by more than a room, but with some daily exercises to test the limits of those boundaries, he and Ginny were now able to move separately about The Burrow without having to stay nearly tethered to one another. It was much the same with their emphatic ability. That skill appeared to be closely linked with their physical distance, and when Harry focused on it, he could usually sense how Ginny was feeling. As Ginny had exhibited this morning, the stronger the emotion the easier it was to sense it without having to concentrate.

It was all still a bit confusing to Harry and he wasn't certain how it worked. Professor Dumbledore was vague with his explanations, and Harry had the distinct impression that even the headmaster was unsure of the mechanics of a soul bond. He had informed them they would simply have to experiment with their abilities and hone them.

_Are you coming back?_ Ginny's impatient voice drifted through his head as if she were calling from a great distance.

_Sorry._ Harry trotted back down the stairs to his room. Ginny was still sitting on the bed and smiled when he re-entered.

"So, how far did you go? The attic?" she asked hopefully.

Harry shook his head. "No, only one flight up."

Ginny pouted in disappointment. "Why does it have to be so hard, Harry?"

"If it was easy, we would take it for granted, I suppose," Harry answered. "Remember when Professor Dumbledore explained that he thought perhaps our soul bond was a bit like our magic? We have the ability, but we have to go to school and learn how to control it and strengthen it?"

"Don't you think it will happen naturally over time?" Ginny asked. "Do you think witches and wizards eighteen hundred years ago practiced the way we are?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, we don't have to worry about all of that today," Ginny remarked and then looked over her shoulder at his presents. "You still have one more present to open, Harry." She picked up a small rectangular package wrapped in festive green paper and tied with a red bow and shyly handed it to him.

Harry took the present from her and sat back down on the bed. He could see Ginny's neat script on the small card and smiled.

"It's your first Christmas," Ginny said, tucking her hair behind her ears nervously. "I wasn't sure what to get you."

Harry carefully unwrapped the box and laid the paper and ribbon aside before lifting the lid. Nestled atop the cotton wool filling was a pair of golden wire-framed glasses. He stared at them wordlessly, unable to make out exactly what he was feeling: immense appreciation, for one, but also guilt, shock and a profusion of other emotions that ranged from happy to sad.

"I know how much you hate your glasses," Ginny offered, her voice sounding unsure, "and my Dad helped me get them, and those are nearly exactly like the ones your father wore, and I thought you would like that, and…"

"I do," Harry interrupted. "But they're too much. I only gave you a book."

"I love the book you gave me!" Ginny insisted. "Especially since it is one of your favourites, Harry. Those glasses are really from my Dad and me. He helped me immensely in choosing them, and he charmed them to adjust to your eyes." Ginny looked over at him dejectedly. "You hate them."

"No, Ginny," Harry said, looking back at her and seeing the worry in her eyes. He gently removed the glasses from the box, and unfolded the ear pieces. Taking his old, clunky black plastic frames off, he set them aside and put the new glasses on. At first the room was blurry, but it quickly swam into focus clearer than it had been before, and compared to his old frames it almost felt like he wasn't wearing glasses at all. He stood up and walked over to the wardrobe and opened it to gaze at his reflection in the small mirror that hung inside. He was amazed at what a difference a pair of glasses made. The golden frames weren't nearly as noticeable as the black ones had been and instead of detracting from his eyes, accented them.

"They're perfect," he remarked, turning back to Ginny with a grin. "Thank you."

"Happy Christmas, Harry," Ginny smiled, rising from the bed and engulfing him in a hug. Her warmth and affection flooded through him and Harry returned the embrace. "Happy Christmas, Ginny." He really enjoyed Ginny's hugs, since until he had met her Harry couldn't recall ever being hugged before.

Ginny loved hugging Harry because every time she did so, the joy he felt at the simple gesture never failed to infuse her heart. She still could not understand how his relatives could have been so horrible towards him, but was extremely thankful he would never have to see them again. Every time they hugged, which wasn't often because her mother hated it, Ginny always hoped they would travel once again to the meadow. So far, that had not happened, nor had they visited it in their dreams since before she and Harry had met. Harry's mother had told them they would have to be stronger before they could return there again, and Ginny wished she understood what that meant. She could only deduce that she and Harry were going to have to wait awhile longer.

She heard her mother's sharp intake of breath a mere second before she felt a hand clamp down on her shoulder, pulling her away from Harry.

"You know how I feel about the two of you being in a bedroom unsupervised," her mother said harshly, one hand firmly planted on Ginny's and Harry's shoulders, as she looked between them sternly.

As always, Harry hung his head in shame and Ginny glared up at her mother. "Mum, it's Christmas! You wouldn't have pulled Ron and me apart if we were hugging!"

"Ron is your brother!" her mother exclaimed. "Harry – is not."

"I'm sorry, Mrs Weasley," Harry muttered before Ginny could explode with another outburst towards her mother. He raised his head and looked Ginny's mother in the eye. "We forgot."

"All I ask is that the two of you try to abide by the few rules we have laid out for you," Mrs Weasley sighed, looking between the two of them. Ginny was certain her mother was noting Harry' contriteness and her unapologetic stance and face, but she could care less. She wasn't the least bit sorry for giving poor Harry a hug on Christmas day.

"Thank you for my scarf, Mrs Weasley," Harry continued. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas," Mrs Weasley returned stiffly, and Ginny caught the guilt flash across her mother's face and opened her mouth to express her dismay about Harry's scarf when his voice filtered through her head. _Don't._

_She deserves it!_ Ginny seethed silently, still glowering at her mother.

_Ginny, please._

_Only because it's Christmas, Harry._ Ginny conceded before speaking aloud to her mother. "Happy Christmas, Mum."

"Happy Christmas, Ginny dear," her mother said. "Now, why don't you come downstairs and help me with breakfast?"

"All right," Ginny complied, casting Harry one final glance before departing after her mother.

Harry stood and closed the door after them in order to have some privacy and dress when Ginny's voice whispered through his head.

_Can you hear me?_

Harry smiled, _Faintly, but yes. Where are you?_

_The kitchen,_ Ginny's grin evident in her voice.

_What's for breakfast?_ Harry asked, pulling a maroon jumper out of his wardrobe.

_A full breakfast with baked beans! My favourite! I forgot to ask you, what did my brothers give you?_

_Fireworks, Chocolate Frogs, and a quill._

Ginny snorted. _I don't have to ask who gave what. Ugh! Mum just asked me why I look constipated._

It was Harry's turn to snort. _Takes a bit of concentration, doesn't it?_ Since starting the conversation with Ginny he hadn't been able to undress and was standing in the middle of his room still holding the jumper.

_Just hurry up and come down here,_ Ginny ordered. _Mum's making me set the table._

_Right,_ Harry replied and hurried to finish dressing. He clattered down the stairs and helped Ginny finish setting the table. Her brothers and father arrived not long after and they all enjoyed a loud, but pleasant Christmas breakfast before Mrs Weasley shooed them all away so she could prepare the goose for dinner.

Luna arrived later Christmas day, her tiny figure appearing at the top of the hill above The Burrow. She waved merrily at Ginny and Harry who were busy building a snowman with Ron before kneeling on a sled she had been dragging behind her. Shoving off, she flew down the hill, her pale blonde hair fluttering behind her where it stuck out from beneath the rainbow coloured knit cap she was wearing. As she drew closer, Harry could see the hat was covered with multi-coloured puff balls on strings of yarn, and they bounced haphazardly as she jumped off the sled and ran the rest of the way to the garden gate.

"Happy Christmas!" she breathlessly said as she opened the gate and smiled at the three of them.

"Happy Christmas!" they chorused back.

"Want to help us finish making the snowman, Luna?" Ginny asked as they walked back to the lumpy shape in the snow.

"What is it? A yeti?" Luna asked, walking around the snowy figure.

"No! It's supposed to be a snowman," Ron said, offended and emphasizing the word 'man'.

Luna shrugged. "It looks like a yeti to me, or perhaps an abominable snowman."

"Aren't they the same thing?" Harry asked.

"No," Luna replied matter-of-factly, "One's pure white and the other's more snowy white."

Ron muttered something about the barminess of deducing the difference between pure white and snowy white, and slapped a huge mound of snow on the snowman where its head would eventually be.

"Oh! Now it looks like an ogre!" Luna crowed in delight, clapping her hands, and her eyes sparkled as she watched Ron attempting to mould the snow.

Ginny laughed aloud at the comment and Ron grabbed a handful of snow off the snowman and lobbed it at his sister. She shrieked as it hit her in the shoulder,

"Snowball fight!" she screamed before bending down and quickly forming a compact ball to throw back at her brother. He lunged behind the snowman, and her snowball splattered against the snowman's chest just as Ron's retaliating snowball whizzed over the snowman's shoulder and knocked Luna's ridiculous hat off her head.

"My hat!" Luna cried, diving after it and falling headfirst into the snow. She rolled on her back, laughing and moved her arms and legs in the snow, disregarding the fight to make a snow angel.

Harry went to retrieve her hat and felt a snowy mass hit him in the back of the neck as he bent to pick it up. Icy water dripped inside the collar of his jumper as he turned to see Luna looking amused.

"That's what you get for trying to be nice, Harry!" Ron shouted before throwing another snowball Harry's way. Instinctively, Harry reached out to bat it away before bending to create a new one to send back towards the red-headed boy in retaliation.

"Harry and Ginny against Ron and me!" Luna announced, jumping to her feet and running towards Ron and the shelter of the snowman.

"No fair using the snowman as cover!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Don't be sore losers!" Ron taunted, throwing out another snowball that Ginny easily avoided.

"We haven't lost yet!" Harry called.

A fierce battle then ensued, with the snowman getting completely demolished during the course of the fight. In the end they couldn't tell who were the winners and losers since they were all covered in equal amounts of snow. They fell the the ground laughing.

"Now we look like snow people," Luna snickered, brushing snow from her hair and coat. "Unlike your poor snow yeti."

Panting, their breath puffing out of their mouths in little white clouds of vapour, they all stared at the remains of the snowman. Luna hopped up and began re-sculpting it, forming the body, and Ron, Harry, and Ginny joined her. After some time of quietly working with the occasional comment, the snow sculpture began resembling a man as opposed to a yeti or an ogre.

Ron plopped back down in the snow and sighed. "This would be much easier if we could use magic. I'm knackered now!"

"Where's the fun in that?" Ginny asked, stepping back to study their handiwork. "He needs something."

"Eyes, a nose, mouth," Harry suggested. "Isn't that the sort of thing we should do next?"

"And clothes!" Luna added.

"You don't put clothes on a snowman!" Ron exclaimed.

"You don't?" Luna asked. "I always do. Otherwise, he will be terribly embarrassed and catch cold."

"How can he catch cold?" Ron asked. "He's made out of snow."

Luna opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off, "Oh never mind! Here!" He took off his red and gold scarf and black knit cap, wrapped the scarf around the snowman's neck and smashed the hat down on its head. "There. Consider him dressed.

Ginny proceeded to straighten the scarf he had thrown on the snowman, while Luna pulled two pieces of coal from her coat pocket and firmly pressed them in the snowman's face.

"Luna," Harry asked. "Why do you have coal in your pocket?"

"Don't you always carry coal with you?" she asked, looking at him in surprise.

"Er - no," Harry answered.

"Well, you should!" Luna admonished. "You never know when you might find yourself in need."

"Yes, Harry," Ginny said seriously. "Didn't you know you should always be prepared?"

"For what?" Harry asked, looking over at Ron, who rolled his eyes in response.

"Well, for eyes for one thing!" Luna exclaimed. "It's a good thing I had some coal or our poor snowman wouldn't be able to see!" She looked over at Harry. "Oh, Harry! I just realized you have new glasses! Those are very nice."

"Thanks," Harry responded, pushing the glasses up his nose self-consciously, "Ginny gave them to me."

"They look very smart," Luna said sincerely, pulling a long carrot from her other coat pocket and poking it into the snowman's face underneath his coal eyes. Lastly, she found a twig sticking up from the snow underneath a nearby shrub and quickly deducing it would make a proper mouth, placed it on the snowman.

"Looks a bit like Professor Snape now," Ron commented, staring at the coal black eyes that gazed impassively at the four of them.

Harry concurred, glad to have a reprieve from the torturous Occlumency lessons neither he nor Professor Snape appeared to enjoy much. Ginny had made a bit more progress during their last lesson, but Snape had become angry again when he had been forced to view yet another of Harry's painful childhood memories. It wasn't Harry's fault his memories weren't as warm and fuzzy as Ginny's, and it wasn't like he was any happier to relive those miserable times of his life. If he had his choice, he would much rather shove those memories into the dark recesses of his mind and never see them again.

Snape had lectured for over thirty minutes that that was exactly what Harry was supposed to be doing, but the professor wasn't very clear on how he was supposed to do that.

"Let's go have some hot chocolate," Ginny suddenly suggested, clearly sensing Harry's sudden dip on the happiness scale.

They spent the remainder of the day inside, nibbling biscuits and sipping hot chocolate while playing games in the sitting room. Ron attempted to teach Harry how to play wizard chess, but after several short games where Ron trounced him, Harry deduced it would take a lot of practice to ever be on the same playing level as Ginny's brother. He asked Ron if he was a member of the chess club at Hogwarts, and the other boy looked at him as if the thought had never even crossed his mind to join a club.

"I never thought about joining any of those clubs," Ron admitted. "I only want to play Keeper on the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

"But, didn't Fred and George say that position is filled?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, that's true," Ron mused. "Maybe I should think about joining the wizard chess club."

"I imagine you'd find players that could give you a bit more of a challenge than me," Harry suggested. "I'm not very good, am I?"

Ron snorted. "No, Harry, you're not."

They had a good laugh over Ron's honesty and soon Mrs Weasley was calling them all to dinner. Luna's father joined them and they had an interesting meal discussing Hogwarts, mysterious beasts that could be found in the Forbidden Forest there, as well as those supposed mythical creatures Luna's father had seen in his travels around the world. Before discovering he was a wizard, Harry had no idea that unicorns, centaurs, and the like were actually real. So far, he hadn't had a chance to see any of those creatures for himself aside from pictures in his textbooks, but he was certain that would change eventually.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

_Harry._ Ginny's voice whispered through his mind as he lay in his bed after having the best Christmas of his life.

_Yes?_

_I've been reading the book you gave me,_ Ginny hesitated a moment, gathering her thoughts before continuing. _It's a bit strange._

_Yeah,_ Harry admitted, suddenly extremely embarrassed to have given her a gift she clearly did not like.

_It's not that I don't like it, Harry, but can you explain it to me?_

_Why I like it so much?_

_Yes!_ Ginny answered. _I think it will help me appreciate it more._

_I,_ Harry hesitated. He had learned quickly from living with the Dursleys never to reveal his secret desires. To do so always resulted either in ridicule, punishment, or both. However, Ginny was different, he already knew this, and had known this from the moment he had met her. Not to mention, that a part of him must have wanted to share this with her, otherwise he never would have given her his most favourite book, _The Little Prince_.

_I,_ Harry continued, _I thought you might like it since you like to read fantasies._

_And,_ Ginny pressed, causing Harry to grimace because since their connection had opened up more, he was finding it harder to keep anything from her.

_And,_ he sighed, _I used to imagine what it would be like to be the prince and be able to travel to wherever I wanted to go, whenever._

_How awful was it there, Harry?_ Ginny asked.

Harry stared above him watching the blurry shadows play across the ceiling and walls. Since the first night he had slept in Charlie's room, he had never drawn the curtains over the window. He relished going to sleep in the silvery light of night instead of the pitch darkness of the cupboard at Privet Drive and being awoken in the morning by the sun streaming in the window. The sight of his aunt's and uncle's angry countenances, the feel of their hands clamping around his arm or the back of his neck, were becoming distant memories.

_It's in the past,_ he answered.

_But our lessons with Professor Snape make you remember,_ Ginny sadly replied.

_Yeah,_ he agreed.

Ginny sighed. _If you could go anywhere that the Little Prince goes, where would it be and why? _

Harry smiled at her quick change of the subject. He hated talking about his relatives. There was really nothing more to be said on the matter, not that he had ever volunteered much and Ginny had never pressed. She didn't really need to; she'd gotten a sense of it all when they first met. Obviously being able to somewhat feel what he felt, no doubt she had experienced the humiliation and anger he felt every time his sessions with Professor Snape brought out a particularly brutal memory.

_The desert._

_Why?_ Ginny pressed.

Harry shrugged even though she couldn't see him. _Because I can't think of a place that is more different than England. _

_Why does the prince stay in the desert for so long?_

_Maybe he liked it the best, too. Plus, he liked the pilot and the stories he would tell him,_ Harry explained.

_What's a pilot?_ Ginny asked in confusion.

Harry smiled, _A Muggle who flies an aeroplane._

_Oh,_ Ginny said, realization dawning. _ I didn't like the part of the story where the snake bit the little prince,_ Ginny stated.

_He could have told the snake not to,_ Harry informed her. _It would have listened._

_He's a Parselmouth then!_ Ginny exclaimed. _But they are usually bad, and the little prince seems so nice._ She sounded incredibly confused.

_What's a Parselmouth?_ Harry asked.

_Someone who can speak to snakes,_ Ginny answered. _But I've always heard it's a rare gift and only bad wizards, like You-Know-Who can do it._

_Oh,_ Harry paled, thinking of how he had seemed to have a conversation with a boa constrictor at the zoo just that past summer. He was fairly certain the snake had actually thanked him after he had inadvertently caused the glass surrounding its enclosure to vanish.

_Harry? Are you all right?_

Ginny appeared in his open doorway, her brown eyes glittering in the moonlight streaming through Harry's window.

"You shouldn't be here," Harry said, sitting up in bed, and casting his eyes past her at the darkened landing.

"Everyone's sound asleep by now," Ginny scoffed, but she stepped back onto the landing all the same. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Harry lied.

"Liar," Ginny hissed quietly. "We were having a nice conversation and suddenly it felt like ice water was washing over me. What did I say wrong?"

"Nothing," Harry said again. "You didn't say anything wrong, it's just that another reason I always identified with the little prince is because," he paused, thinking it couldn't be a good thing to share a trait with You-Know-Who. _ I always identified with the little prince because I think I can talk to snakes, too,_ he admitted.

Ginny gasped and raised a hand to her mouth. _You can?_ she asked, her eyes wide.

Harry nodded. _I think I released a boa constrictor at the zoo from captivity this summer._

_How'd you let him go?_ Ginny asked.

"I was standing in front of the glass, looking at the snake," Harry answered. "When suddenly Dudley came over and punched me in the ribs to get me out of the way so he and his friend, Piers could get a better look. I became angry and the glass disappeared. The snake slithered out, past us. People were running all over trying to get away from it, and I swear it thanked me as it went by."

Ginny giggled despite her dismay. "Oh, that is funny, but do you really think you can speak to snakes?" she whispered.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. We had a garden snake in my primary class and whenever it was my turn to feed it, it always told me it didn't like the earthworms we fed it. I never really thought much about it, but I never thought it was a bad thing."

"I think it's just that usually only Dark wizards possess the talent," Ginny stated. "But you're the furthest thing from a Dark wizard, Harry."

"I'd like to hope so," he said.

"I know so," she said with finality and Harry smiled.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

"I came and collected you myself," Hagrid was saying the following day. He sat on the floor just inside the door of the Weasleys cluttered kitchen. He'd had to duck nearly over at the waist and squeeze through the door, and there had been a moment Ginny had feared the groaning doorframe was going to crack. However, he had managed to enter, but even sitting his head brushed the ceiling of the room. The large man didn't seem to mind as he regaled Harry and Ginny with stories of Harry's parents, as well as how he had rescued Harry from his smouldering home after their untimely demise.

"You were just a wee slip of a thing, and you never cried once. Not a peep."

"Where did they live, Hagrid?" Harry asked, from where he sat next to Ginny at the kitchen table. He flipped through the album he had found in his vault and stopped at a photo of the three of them standing outside a cute little cottage.

"In Godric's Hollow," the grounds keeper replied. "It's a little village that's home ta both Muggle and wizard folk alike. They thought they'd be safer there, away from things."

"But they weren't," the boy commented, unable to keep the small amount of bitterness from seeping into his words.

"No, but no one was then, Harry," Hagrid regretfully said. "It was dark times, and I for one am glad they are over."

Nodding, Harry slowly turned the pages in the album. He had looked the pictures over hundreds of times since taking it from his family vault. Of all the treasures the vault had contained, this was the only item that held any worth to him. It was all he had to remember his parents by, and now his father's cloak. He wondered what his father may have used the cloak for while he had had it in his possession. He came across a photo of his father wearing a Hogwarts uniform and standing with three other boys and turned the album towards Hagrid.

"Are these my Dad's friends?" he asked. He studied the picture, observing how his father winked at whomever was taking the photo, and wondering if perhaps it had been his mum. The boy standing next to him was tall and handsome with long, black hair that nearly reached his shoulders. His silvery eyes shone merrily and he smirked mischievously as he reached behind James' shoulders to ruffle the lank brown hair of the tall, thin boy who stood next to him. On the end was a short, fat boy, with a pate of thin dark blond hair, and watery blue eyes that clearly showed the envy he felt for his three friends.

Hagrid gazed at the picture, sucking on his bottom lip as he contemplated the four men. "They were thick as thieves while at Hogwarts. If you found one, no doubt the others were close nearby. They went by the name of the Marauders and would give your two brothers a run for their money when it came to pranks." He nodded towards Ginny at the last and she smiled up at him.

"They drove your poor mum mad with their carrying-on," Hagrid ended.

"Where are they now?" Harry asked, "Maybe I could write to them."

The large man shifted his legs beneath him, looking uncomfortable at the question. "They disappeared after the war," he finally answered after he had resettled

"I wish I had known them," Harry quietly remarked, staring at the picture. Ginny moved closer to him and silently placed her hand upon his knee as he ducked his head away from the two of them.

"They'd be proud of you, ta be sure," Hagrid assured. He looked about the room expectantly. "Now where's that owl of yours? I'd like ta see her."

"She's in my room," Harry answered.

'Why don't you go fetch her?" Hagrid suggested, shifting his weight again to find a more comfortable position in the cramped kitchen.

Harry nodded and without looking at either of them quickly left the room.

"He'll be all right," Ginny reassured Hagrid, who watched the boy go. The half-giant gazed down at the little girl, his bushy beard stretching as he smiled.

"With a good friend like you, how could he not?" Hagrid commented.

"And you, Hagrid," she reminded him. "I can't tell you how much Hedwig means to Harry."

"I know," the large man said, before glancing into the sitting room at the tree twinkling with fairy lights and stands of popcorn and cranberries, and covered in homemade ornaments the Weasley children had produced over the years. "Did you have a nice Christmas yesterday?"

"Oh yes," Ginny enthused. "It was the best Christmas ever, I think."

"It was," Harry agreed, returning with Hedwig sitting on his arm. "Thanks again for the cake and owl treats, Hagrid." Hedwig twittered her appreciation of the treats as well, as Harry gave her one.

They sat and talked about what they had done the previous day and Hagrid told them about the trees he procured for the great hall at Hogwarts and how the staff decorated each with different themes. In the past the trees had been decorated for Christmases through the ages, but this year each tree had been adorned with decorations to represent the various subjects studied at the school. Hagrid admitted that his favourite was the Astronomy tree that was covered with suns, moons, planets and stars, and glowed with light from the constellations that were scattered about it. Ron, Percy, and the twins, just returned from their trek into the village to hand out homemade treats and savouries to the village baker, butcher, and grocer that their mother often frequented when she did her weekly shopping, and joined in the conversation describing the trees they liked the best in the great hall.

Hagrid stayed for lunch, where they shared a meal comprised of left-overs from the Christmas feast Mrs Weasley had prepared the previous day, plus a wide selection of sweets and savouries she had made for Boxing Day and had set aside for the family to enjoy.

Later in the evening, Ginny found Harry sitting on the hearth rug in the sitting room looking over an atlas of the West Country and settled next to him.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she peered down at the map.

Harry pointed to a small dot located near the southern coastal tip of Gloucestershire "Godric's Hollow isn't far from here."

She could instantly sense his desire to visit his childhood home, and Ginny studied the map, gauging the distance between Ottery St Catchpole and Godric's Hollow. Indeed, on the map it didn't look far, however, the furthest she had ever travelled was the little village right down the lane. Otherwise her family always took the Floo. She was certain Godric's Hollow would be easily accessible by the Floo network, but she doubted if she and Harry were ready to travel that way. After four months of twice daily doses of Professor Snape's potion, she and Harry could freely move separately all over the grounds of the Burrow without suffering ill effects, but they had yet to test larger distances. Her mother promised to allow Ginny to attempt taking a walk to Luna's house once the snow melted. Luna lived over the hill, about a mile from the Weasley home and it would be a good preliminary test of how far the children could be separated. If they travelled to Harry's first home, it would have to be by some other way.

"You want to see it," she stated matter-of-factly.

Harry bit his bottom lip, but said nothing. Ginny had learned over the past few months that it was extremely difficult for him to admit to anything he desired. Even after repeated assurances from her that he should express himself, he still tended to keep things to bottled-up.

"I can understand completely why you would want to, Harry," she assured him. "I'm just not certain how we would get there."

Harry nodded, his eyes locked on the tiny dot on the map. "It's probably not a good idea anyway."

"It's an excellent idea," Ginny countered. "I'm sure Mum and Dad wouldn't mind a day trip, but it's figuring out how to get there that is the problem."

"Portkey?" Harry tentatively offered.

She shook her head. "They are expensive. I know that's how we travelled when we first met, but that is only because Professor Dumbledore is one of the few wizards outside of the Ministry who can create them. Most of us have to go to the Portkey Office and request one. It's why we usually travel by Floo," Ginny explained. "It's much cheaper."

"We can't travel by Floo yet, I don't think," Harry said, voicing her earlier thoughts.

"No," she agreed, thinking a moment before an idea reached her. "But, there may be another option. I know my Dad would agree immediately. It's my Mum that will take some convincing."

"What is it?" Harry asked, looking up from the map and over at her.

Ginny smiled, "Let me show you."

Jumping up, she headed to the kitchen and he instantly followed. Grabbing her woollen black peacoat from the hooks that hung by the back door, she shouldered it on as she opened the door. Harry did the same, taking a blue plaid hunting jacket with worn fleece lining that had once belonged to Ron. Shrugging it on, he stepped outside and headed down the path after Ginny that led to her father's shed.

Upon reaching the rusted metal door, she wrenched it open, smiling over her shoulder at her best friend as she did so. "I can't believe I have never shown this to you before now," she exclaimed, her breath coming out in white puffs as she spoke.

"What?" Harry asked again, his curiosity mounting as they entered the small shed and Ginny lit the lamps that hung on the wall with a match from the box that sat on her father's workbench. Since they were under-age and the Weasleys abided strictly by the rules of the Ministry that forbade under-age magic, the children had to resort to using many Muggle ways to go about getting things done.

After she had finished lighting the lamps, the shed was bathed in a warm light and Ginny turned to face Harry. "What I want to show you is hidden in the back."

She pointed past the washer and dryer that sat in the middle of the shed, on top of which was piled an assortment of plugs, sockets, dismantled radios and flashlights. It was just more of the Muggle clutter Mr Weasley had acquired and studied in his spare time. Other than the times they had spent working with Professor Snape, Harry couldn't say that he had spent much time in the shed, as he thought of it as Mr Weasley's private sanctuary. He had seen the twins enter the building from time to time, but they did not care what admonitions they received from their mother for nosing about amongst their father's things.

Moving past the cluttered workbench, Ginny approached a large object, swathed in a white sheet that sat at the very back of the shed. Harry studied it closely as they approached, realizing that it took up the entire width of the building, with just enough room to walk around it. A few Muggle tools, wrenches and pliers were laid out on a small towel on the dirt floor of the shed, along with what looked to be headlamps for a car.

His suspicions were proved correct when Ginny pulled the dusty sheet off and revealed a small pale blue car that was beginning to rust along the fenders and rims of the head and tail lights. It was a car that would have caused instant derision in his aunt and uncle if it had ever appeared on Privet Drive, and therefore had immediate appeal to Harry. He slowly walked around it, taking in the shiny silver fenders and the white vinyl interior. On the boot was written Anglia in silvery script and he smiled over at Ginny.

"This is brilliant," he exclaimed, "but why does your Dad have it?"

"You know my Dad works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry," Ginny offered. "He often brings his work home, and this is one of his special projects."

"What does it do?" Harry asked.

"The wizard they confiscated it from was attempting to enchant it to fly. Dad installed an Invisibility Booster in it," she replied, opening the driver-side door and sliding behind the wheel. Placing her small hands on the white steering wheel, Ginny made puttering noises as she jerked the wheel from side to side. Harry pulled the passenger door open and settled onto the bucket seat beside her. Looking over the dash, he saw the odometer, the small radio with a couple of knobs and push buttons to change the stations, as well as the cigarette lighter and the glove box, but nothing that looked out of the ordinary.

"Looks pretty much like any other car I've seen," he commented, pushing in the lighter. As soon as he did so, the car shuddered around them, and the seat he was sitting on, as well as the rest of the interior disappeared. "Whoa!"

"Yeah," Ginny agreed, "Dad's been working on it, but you see, it still doesn't work right. Only the interior disappears."

"Why does he want it to disappear?" Harry asked.

"Because it can fly," she explained. "At least I think it can. He's added some charms similar to what makes brooms fly, but a car is a lot bigger than a broomstick. Anyway, I was thinking we could use this to visit Godric's Hollow."

"But, if the Invisibility Booster doesn't work properly, how could we fly there?" Harry asked.

"We wouldn't have to," Ginny said. "It still works like a car, too. We could drive. I bet it's only a couple hours at the most to your home. All we have to do is ask."

"And you think they'll say yes?" He wasn't sure he shared his friend's optimism on that front.

"Dad will instantly, but Mum will take a bit more convincing," she admitted. "But, I suspect she won't want to journey anywhere until the weather turns, so that gives us some time to convince her."

Ginny smiled over at Harry. "Don't worry, Harry. With Dad on our side, Mum is bound to cave, eventually.


	6. Chapter 6 - Nightmares

**Author's Note: **I apologize for the delay in posting. I am afraid I am having technical difficulties (my home computer has died:(). this leaves me with only my iPad and work computer to do any writing, editing, and posting. As of yet, I have not figured a way to post from my iPad. So, posts from here on out may be sporadic.

I do want to thank everyone who has read and commented so far, and if I have't responded to your comments, it's only because life has gotten far too crazy for me to keep up. However, I appreciate every comment, so please continue!

Thanks, as always, must go out to my betas, Arnel, Brennus, and seekers_destiny! If there are any mistakes in this chapter, ther are mine alone. Enjoy!

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_Vernon Dursley's livid face, deep maroon in colour, appeared at the bottom of the tree Harry was perched in. Grabbing the trunk with his meaty hands, the large man shook the tree vigorously in an attempt to dislodge his nephew._

_"Boy," he seethed, his low, angry voice more frightening than when he was yelling and spitting in vexation. "Come down from that tree this instant and clean up the mess you caused in the kitchen."_

_Marge Dursley's ugly bulldog, Ripper had chased Harry through the kitchen and dining room after he had accidentally stepped on the dog's paw. Aunt Petunia had been in the middle of clearing the dinner plates and the dog, running under her feet had caused her to drop the gravy boat, splattering the carpet and walls with the thick, brown gravy. Harry had quickly scrambled outside and up the tree out of reach of Ripper's vicious claws and teeth, and spent hours shivering on the branch. Slobber had dripped from the dog's jowls and tongue as it continued to snarl and bark as it jumped at the tree, scratching the trunk with its claws._

_At midnight Aunt Marge had finally called the beast off, with Dudley laughing uproariously behind her. Vernon had stood in the doorway of the sunroom simmering, and Harry knew he was in serious trouble when his uncle did not disappear back inside after his sister and son._

_Swallowing, Harry began to extricate himself from the branch he had wrapped his arms and legs around, finding it more difficult than he would have imagined. After having clung to it for hours, he had lost feeling in his limbs and they were stiff and sore. The electric tingles of his nerves coming back to life did little to enable him to move at the pace his uncle required and before he was half-way down the trunk, Vernon grabbed Harry's right ankle in a vice-like grip, yanking him the rest of the way._

_Harry landed badly on his left foot, and he felt his ankle twist painfully. Grimacing, he attempted to keep his balance, but toppled over in a heap at his uncle's feet; a dangerous position for him to be in. Harry attempted to scramble out of the way, but his uncle's foot found its target in Harry's side. He grunted in pain as Vernon's heavy loafer connected with his ribs._

_"Get up," Vernon snarled._

Severus stood in the shed at the Burrow, his black eyes blazing with fury as he gazed down at the dark-haired boy sitting hunched on the stool before him. He had yet again been subjected to another torturous vision of Harry's dark past and Severus was of half a mind to storm out of the shed immediately in order to run away from facing the boy and to rain retribution down upon the head of Petunia Dursley nee Evans. Bile rose in Severus' throat; she had no right to bear that name, there was little of Lily in her loathsome sister. Silently, he withdrew a small vial of Reinvigorating Draught and handed it to Harry, who took it with a trembling hand.

"The Dark Lord will take such memories and twist them in your mind mercilessly until you are slowly driven insane," Severus said quietly, looking past the boy's shoulders to gaze out the grimy window. The Weasley garden was beginning to blossom and the cheerful sound of birds chirping in the trees sharply contrasted with the pallor in the shed.

The Potions Master had decided to work with Harry alone hoping the distraction of Ginny's nearness would allow him to focus on blocking such visions from Severus. However, it seemed to have had the opposite effect and, if anything had only lessened Harry's ability to channel his thoughts. Severus knew the girl lurked just outside the door, and was somewhat surprised she had not burst in, outraged.

Harry lifted the vial to his lips and drank the contents quickly. "Why do you speak about Voldemort as if he were still alive?" he asked, twisting the flacon in his hand. "Everybody else seems to think he is dead."

"And that you defeated him," Severus couldn't help the faint edge of derision that laced his voice. The fresh vision of a mere Muggle getting the better of Harry entering his mind. "Do you think you possessed the power to defeat the Dark Lord when you were merely a baby?"

Harry shook his head mutely.

"Then I do not think he is dead, and neither should you," Severus informed the boy. "He is biding his time, awaiting the right moment to return to power, and you must be ready. For I can assure you, he will be looking for you especially. You must learn to guard your deepest secrets."

"Why can't I put those memories behind me?" Harry asked, lifting his head to look at Severus, and the elder wizard was pleased to note that the sight of Lily's eyes gazing out at him from James' face no longer tormented him quite as much as when he had first met the boy.

"I do not know. It is as if some part of you relishes reliving them. Perhaps we are going about this the wrong way. You are trying to suppress the memories in order for me not to see them," Severus continued, "When I touch upon something Ginny does not want me to see, she produces another, trivial memory to replace her treasured one. Perhaps you should do the same."

"How?" Harry asked.

"I suggest thinking of something that is directly opposed to these torturous memories," Severus remarked and Harry grimaced.

"I don't particularly want you to see my treasured memories either," he stated, his cheeks reddening, and Severus could deduce that Harry's friendship with Ginny was, so far, the only good thing to have happened in his unfortunate life.

"You are fortunate to now have the opportunity for a different life," the elder wizard counselled, "and that you have found such a good friend in Ginny. You are right to guard the moments you share with her, but if we are to have any hope of you progressing and learning to guard all of your thoughts, you must be willing to attempt what I ask."

Severus paused, reflecting upon the boy's budding friendship with Ginny, and how when Severus arrived at the Burrow they were usually sitting underneath the large oak tree in the garden. Sometimes they were playing a game of Gobstones on a dry patch of earth near the base of the tree, or sitting with their heads together conversing softly. In those moments, Severus was reminded of his time with Lily, when they had first met and he would spin tales of wonder about the magical world she knew nothing about.

"I, too, had a friend like Ginny, and she meant everything to me," Severus murmured, visions of Lily's beautiful, smiling face swimming before his eyes.

"What happened to her?" Harry asked.

"I allowed my dark thoughts to consume me and I lost her forever," Severus answered. "Do not allow the same thing to happen to you."

Glancing back out the window, he could see the sky had darkened and a faint scuff by the shed door indicated the growing impatience of the little girl waiting on the other side. Looking back at Harry, some colour had returned to his cheeks, but Severus noted the dull look in the boy's eyes and knew he was thoroughly exhausted.

"It is late and I do not think you are up to another attempt today," he stated. "During your meditation this week, sift through your memories and select one or two positive ones you think you will be able to readily draw upon when we resume next Saturday. The simpler, the better, Harry. Do not overthink."

"Yes, Professor Snape," Harry said as he slipped off the stool and handed him the empty vial. Severus pocketed it within his robes as they headed towards the door of the shed. Before they had reached it, Ginny pulled it open to peer in expectantly.

"Mum wants to know if you will stay for dinner tonight, Professor Snape?" Ginny asked. "She won't take no for an answer this time, I don't think."

He had been about to decline as he had on all the previous occasions that the Weasley matriarch had offered a dinner invitation, however, there were no pressing matters to attend to at Hogwarts, and he would like to observe how the children interacted naturally. Perhaps it would aid him with understanding how better to teach Harry.

"Then I will acquiesce to your mother's wishes," Severus replied as she took the boy's hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly. He observed as the girl's eyes flashed with concern before she turned away, drawing her friend out into the waning sunlight.

Severus followed slowly behind them, as they walked towards the house. Molly appeared at the kitchen window and waved at him, and he waved absent-mindedly back, continuing to watch the children. At the sight of Molly, Harry quickly withdrew his hand from Ginny's tight grasp and the young girl turned her brown eyes upon her companion, her displeasure evident. Harry's small shrug of resignation caused her face to contort in annoyance, but she made no move to reclaim what she clearly thought was her right. Harry's eyes flicked back towards the window where Ginny's mother still stood, and the girl diverted her annoyance to the true source of her pique.

Severus found himself fascinated by the brief exchange, as it was becoming clearer to him the children had found a far more intimate way of communicating than by using words.

Supper was a subdued affair, with Molly and Arthur inquiring after their other four children at Hogwarts and how they were fairing in Potions. Severus attempted to keep his disdain for the twins from his answers, but it was clear that both elder Weasleys understood all too well his feelings upon the matter. They were, however, delighted to hear affirmations that Percy was excelling in Potions and would no doubt receive high marks when he took his O.W.L.s. It was too early to tell with their youngest son, Ron, as his Potions partner, Seamus was not very gifted in the art. Severus had since separated the two boys to save the class from any further explosions, but his efforts had not been received well; being perceived by the two boys as bullying. Of course, he left that part out of the story and was relieved to see that Arthur and Molly seemed to agree with his actions.

Ginny and Harry contributed little to the dinner conversation, although it was clear that Harry especially was paying attention to the exchange. Severus wondered if he would take after his mother in regards to Potions, and was surprised to find that he was somewhat looking forward to finding out in the upcoming school year when the two children began their careers at Hogwarts. Throughout dinner he observed several more occasions where he thought the children were communicating silently, but their actions appeared to go unnoticed by the girl's parents. Legilimency, Occlumency, and telepathy went hand in hand. If their telepathic skills were strengthening, then perhaps Severus could use it to enhance Harry's disadvantage he had over his partner. With time, the abuse he had suffered at the hands of the Muggles would hopefully fade, but for now the boy was still struggling internally with his own feelings of inadequacy and it was severely affecting his progress. If he could learn to harness Ginny's innate ability in the meantime, then maybe Harry would have a bit of a breakthrough and gain more confidence.

While Harry's lack of presumption in his magical abilities reminded Severus of Lily when she was her son's age, and allowed him to exhibit none of his father's undesirable traits, the cause of that inhibition made Severus' blood boil. He hated to think what Lily would think of her sister's betrayal, and again he was reminded that it was his initial betrayal of his friend that had caused it all to spiral so wildly out of control.

With these sobering thoughts, Severus excused himself from the company of the Weasleys soon after the dessert of trifle was served. He quietly thanked Molly for the supper, reminded his pupils to practice, and soon found himself in the cool quiet of his dungeon office, at his desk staring at a ripped photo he held in his hands. Despite her green eyes which looked profoundly sad, the woman with dark auburn hair was still beautiful. She wandered in the picture looking in the portion of the door frame that appeared in the picture and under the sofa. The expression on her face was so similar to the one Lily had given him at their last meeting, that his heart clenched in his chest, knowing once again he was the cause of her pain.

_She'd just exited St. Mungo's, a dreamy smile gracing her lips, her creamy ivory skin glowing in the late afternoon light. It had been providence than he had happened to be on his way to pick up potion supplies when he bumped into her._

_"Severus," she said in shock as she stopped short. Her auburn hair was neatly pulled back in a half pony-tail, and the diamond on her ring finger flashed as she shielded her eyes to see him better. "What are you doing here?"_

_"Picking up potion supplies I need," he answered. "And you? Are you ill?"_

_She shook her head. "No. Just a check-up," she said succinctly, and he knew she was keeping a vital piece of information from him. She had never been good at lying._

_He studied her. He had not seen her since their final day at school, and that had only been at a distance. He had heard that she and Potter had married not long after and joined the forces fighting against the Dark Lord. Voldemort had set his sights on domination of the magical world and all those who stood in his way would fall. Potter, Black, Lupin, the Longbottoms, and countless others had been instrumental in several attacks against the Death Eaters, undermining the Dark Lord's attempts at gaining a foothold in the Ministry. While he had not had official verification that Lily had been at any of the battle scenes, he had no doubt she had been involved. She was too powerful and strong-willed a witch to simply stay behind while her husband and friends entered into the fray._

_"Your life will be forfeit if you stay with Potter," Severus warned. _

_"You gave up the right to counsel me the day you threw our friendship away," Lily sadly replied._

_"Please, Lily," Severus implored. "I have spoken to him. He will spare you if you turn your back on Potter and come with me now."_

_"He's a monster," Lily spat. "And you're insane if you think he will spare a Mudblood like me."_

_"Don't call yourself that," Severus remarked harshly._

_"Why?" she asked. "You did once."_

_"And I have regretted it every day since," he softly replied. "Lily, I lo..."_

_She shook her head violently. "Don't say it," was her cold reply as her eyes filled with disgust. "You were my first true friend and I loved you once, but you turned your back on me and our friendship. James was there for me when you weren't. He championed me when your friends were harassing anyone who wasn't of pure blood. It's too late. I'm in love with him, not you."_

_"Look what has already happened to your parents because of him," Severus implored. "Lily, please…"_

_"My parents," Lily gasped, her eyes widening in horrific surprise. "Did you know?"_

_Severus' heart clenched and not bearing to look into her pain-filled green eyes, he averted his gaze to study the grimy brick wall behind her._

_A small sob caught in Lily's throat. "You knew he had targeted them and you said nothing! My mother took you in. You sat at her table. She fed you and treated you like one of her own, as your own mother never could. You let him KILL them!_

_"My sister, who already despised me, won't even talk to me now!" Lily railed. "She blames me for their deaths." Her eyes filled with tears. "I blame myself. You were my best friend, Severus. My best friend!"_

_"Lily," he said dumbly._

_"We're through," she whispered. "I don't ever want to see or hear from you again." She pressed her hand against her belly as she pushed past him, breathing heavily, her eyes swimming with tears. He said nothing as she moved past him and walked down the lane. Never once did she look back, but he watched her until she disappeared around the corner._

He had never seen her alive again, and had spent the next months hoping everything would turn out all right until that fateful night he overheard the prophecy. Stupidly, he had told Voldemort, not realizing the danger he was putting Lily in until it was too late. The Dark Lord had ignored his pleadings to spare her, and Severus had stumbled blindly away after his master had finished 'conditioning' him. His body still trembling from the Cruciatus Curse, Severus had gone to the only other wizard he could think of who may be able to save Lily, his former headmaster, Dumbledore. The anger that had alighted in Albus' eyes that night was like nothing Severus had ever seen from him, and had given him renewed hope that in this man, Voldemort would finally meet his match, but it had not been enough. Albus never engaged the Dark Lord, and his attempts to hide Lily and her family away had failed.

Severus had spent the past ten years grieving for her and now here he sat, looking at the only picture he had left of her. He had acquired it when they had searched the treacherous traitor, Sirius Black's house for evidence of his betrayal. Unfortunately, none had been found, but Black had been sent to Azkaban, where he belonged for delivering Lily to the hands of the Dark Lord. Potter had always been a fool to trust Black and had received his just desserts, as far as Severus was concerned.

Potter, the bane of his existence since they had first set foot at Hogwarts and still to this day, Severus could not be rid of him. Harry's pinched and drawn face came to him, and how at one point in time Severus would have liked nothing more than to see Potter put in such a position his own son had been forced to endure.

A knock came to his office door before it was nudged open and Albus appeared in the doorway. He wore his favoured deep purple robes covered in stars and moons. Severus had always despised those robes, as they were the epitome of the stereotypical robes one would expect a wizened mage with a long white beard and hair to wear. He said nothing as the headmaster entered the chamber, as he had come here deliberately to avoid having to see the old man.

"You did not stop by to see me, as you normally do, my friend," the headmaster stated unnecessarily. "How did things go today with Harry and Ginny?"

Severus did not answer at first, and instead gazed out the window of his office, observing how the pale light of the moon reflected off the murky waters of the lake. His hatred of Potter waned as images of the Dursleys' cruelty towards their nephew played over again in his mind, and how the headmaster must have known. How could he have not? Surely, after leaving Harry on their doorstep, he must have checked in from time to time to ensure the child was faring well. Otherwise, why would he care if Severus assisted him in keeping Harry safe while he attended Hogwarts? Albus waited patiently beside him, an irksome trait the man had of not pressing a matter, knowing full well his intended target would cave eventually under his piercing blue stare.

"How could you have let Harry stay in that house all these years?" he finally asked.

"What do you mean, Severus?" Albus responded, knitting his white brows in confusion.

"Don't begin to tell me you didn't know what those Muggles were like," Severus spat. "What they did."

Instead of continuing to pretend he didn't understand what Severus was talking about, Albus' face fell and he sighed. "I knew."

"And you did nothing?" Severus whispered in shock. "They abused him, belittled him, treated him worse than a house-elf and you stood by and allowed it to happen for ten years, Albus. Lily would be most displeased."

"The only other guardian Lily had appointed for Harry before she died was unfit to care for him," Albus reminded him. "Sirius Black betrayed Lily and James. Had they known of his treachery before their deaths, I am sure they would have made other arrangements for Harry. However, they did not, and it was left to me to do what I thought best for him.

"The blood ties he shared with Petunia Dursley kept him hidden from the Wizarding world," Albus said. "Harry was protected from Tom and his followers there."

"But you did not deem it necessary to protect him from the hands of those Muggle monsters," Severus hissed. "He would have been protected here. You are always touting how strong the wards are here at Hogwarts. How they can never fall. Here he would have been protected from the Dark Lord and them." This last was filled with the extreme venom he felt for the Dursleys.

Albus sighed again and sat in one of the chairs that faced the Potion Master's desk.

"I marvel at the change in you these past few months," Albus observed as he studied his friend. "You had resigned yourself to loathing him, and now you have become his champion. Have you found a kindred spirit in young Harry; perhaps one that reminds you of yourself at his age?"

Severus clenched his jaw in anger. "I would wish what I suffered at the hands of my mother on no one, save my vilest enemies. To see Lily's child treated much the same or worse even is unconscionable. Had I known -"

"You would have done nothing," Albus admonished. "I did not remove Harry from the Dursleys' care for to do so would have robbed him of the strength of perseverance he now possesses. The abuse he suffered has made him stronger. Have you not gained a sense of his will? It has not been broken by them.

"If he had been raised here, he would not know what it means to fight to survive. Everything would have been easy for him. He would be weaker for it," Albus explained.

"I cannot begin to fathom how you can justify that case," Severus responded, appalled.

"It was not a decision I made lightly, I can assure you, Severus," Albus replied. "You could have taken it upon yourself to check on Harry, as well, but you did not because you had already decided to despise the boy before having even met him."

"And you knew of his nature and did nothing to protect him!" Severus venomously retorted.

"Believe me when I tell you, I was most unhappy to have to sit by and do nothing, Severus," Albus sighed greatly. "However, it was and is for the best. Tom suffered much as Harry did and by the time he was Harry's age, was already well on his way down the Dark path he had chosen. Yet, within Harry, despite Vernon and Petunia Dursley's best efforts, there remains a conscience, worthy and pure. I seriously doubt the bond between himself and Ginny would be so strong or have held if that were not the case. What have you observed of that?"

Severus again paused to collect himself, taking deep breaths to clear out the anger that had arisen in him over the injustices Harry had already suffered in his life. Blowing his breath out slowly, he found his composure and once again became the calm, cool persona he usually exhibited.

"Their connection appears to be strengthening," he informed Albus. "As you had hoped it would."

"Have you revealed any of your past to Harry yet?" Albus pressed, no doubt hoping that the Potions Master would have decided to open up a bit to the young boy.

"No," Severus replied, bristling, "And I would wish that you would stop pressing me on that matter."

"Very well," Albus remarked, "but I think you are making a mistake by not doing so. However, I will not mention it again and leave you to decide how you wish to proceed on the matter."

He brushed his long beard as he contemplated his friend. "There is another matter we need to attend to."

"What is it?" Severus asked, noting the way Albus' eyes had narrowed in concern.

"Hagrid has brought to my attention the fact that it appears something is attacking the unicorns in the Dark Forest," the headmaster informed him. "He would like to take a party to investigate tomorrow morning, and I would like you to be a part of it."

"Does he have any idea what may be the cause?" Severus asked.

"None, and it is most unsettling," the aged wizard before him said. "You and I both know unicorns are among the most revered of magical beasts. There is nothing neither Hagrid nor I know of that resides in forest that would be capable of the mutilation our grounds keeper has witnessed."

The Potion's Master nodded his agreement. "I will be sure to make myself available to you."

"Thank you, my friend," Albus said, rising from his seat. "I will leave you now." He paused in turning to leave and looked Severus over. "Please, try not to dwell on what was, but on what may be. We cannot change the past, but we can choose paths for the future that may lead us to how we wish it to be."

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Even though Albus had asked Severus to keep an eye on Quirinus, he had decided to pay closer attention, as well. Since he had rehired him he hadn't given much thought to the man, aside from occasionally observing that he seemed even more skittish than usual. Albus had charged Quirinus with procuring and handling a troll to help protect the Philosopher's Stone, hoping that would ease the man's misgivings, whatever they may be. Instead, he had allowed the troll to escape and run rampant in the school. It had been extremely fortunate that a student had not been injured and Hagrid had been able to subdue the troll.

It didn't help matters that Severus, having the foresight he was known for, had checked on the third floor corridor to find Quirinus pacing in front of the entrance muttering to himself. When Severus had confronted him the Defence professor had confessed to having the same idea as Severus and was merely ensuring the Stone was safe. Of course, Severus had not believed him and had practically insisted that Albus sack him immediately and destroy the Philosopher's Stone before another incident similar to the troll occurred. However, Albus was hesitant to destroy the Stone as it belonged to his good friend, Nicholas, and for now the stone was still hidden away in Hogwarts with five trap rooms standing between it and anyone foolish enough to attempt to steal it.

This led Albus back to the fact that Quirinus appeared unable to control a troll, so what would he do if faced with truly Dark Magic? It was too late in the year to replace him as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, but Albus thought perhaps he should begin looking for someone else to take the position for the following term, and reinstate Quirinus in his former position as the Muggle Studies professor. The current Muggle Studies professor, Charity Burbage had mentioned taking a sabbatical to study Muggles closer, so perhaps something could be arranged for the upcoming year. In the meantime, they would muddle through with things as they were.

However, Albus had even more pressing matters to attend to today than who would be on staff for the upcoming year. The spring term was well underway when Hagrid had reported to him that he had found evidence that unicorns were being attacked, and was naturally concerned over what creature would do such a horrendous thing. Albus had summoned Severus to meet him at Hagrid's, and together along with Hagrid he intended to investigate the matter further. He had already sent word to the centaurs and was hoping they would be able to shed some light on this mystery.

Walking swiftly down the path towards Hagrid's hut, he was surprised to find not only Severus and Hagrid with his boarhound, Fang, standing by the blazing fire in front of the hut, but Quirinus, as well.

"Quirinus," Albus said in surprise. "I wasn't expecting you to join us this morning."

"He was headed to the forest, Headmaster," Severus responded, casting a suspicious glance towards the Defence professor. "I informed our dear colleague of the present danger in the forest and he insisted on accompanying us on our investigation."

Albus raised an eyebrow at this. "Is that so, Quirinus?" and the timid Defence professor nodded his head in acquiescence. "Well, then," Albus continued. "We could certainly use your help and expertise. Have you been fully apprised of the situation by Hagrid?"

"Y-yes, Headmaster," Quirinus answered, his turbaned head shaking with nerves, fear, or both.

Nodding, Albus turned to the groundskeeper. "Are we ready, Hagrid?"

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore," Hagrid gruffly said, picking up a large lantern from the ground beside him and calling for Fang. "Come on, Fang. Let's find the poor thing."

The three professors lit their wands and followed after Hagrid and Fang. Both Quirinus and the boarhound trembled in fear as they entered the forest. Stepping over thick tree roots that snaked across the ground, Hagrid pointed out places where the silvery unicorn blood had dripped on leaves and branches as the wounded animal attempted to escape its attacker.

"Only the vilest sort kills an innocent like a unicorn," Hagrid muttered as they moved deeper into the forest. Quirinus tittered beside Albus and Severus shot him a stern glance.

"Are you feeling nervous or guilty over something, Quirinus?" he whispered. "Is there something, perhaps, you wish to confess?"

"Severus," Albus warned and smiled encouragingly over at Quirinus. "There's nothing to fear here, Quirinus. I am sure the four of us can handle whatever we encounter."

Hagrid moved a few large branches aside and allowed the others to enter a small clearing. Albus stepped through and immediately saw the pale flank of a unicorn lying behind a fallen tree. Moving around the dried, crumbling roots, he saw the beautiful creature, its neck shredded and drenched in its own blood as it feebly gasped for air. He moved to its side and the unicorn's frightened blue eyes rolled in its head as it saw him and the others standing behind him.

Kneeling, Albus placed his hand gently on the creature's muzzle to calm it. Its breath rattled in its lungs and it closed its eyes in resignation as its life passed. The final breath of the unicorn exhaled, sending a small puff of vapour into the cold air. Hagrid sniffed behind him, and turning, Albus saw the groundskeeper pulling a large red handkerchief with white polka dots out of his pocket.

"I am sorry, Hagrid," Albus said, rising. "We are too late to help."

"It deserved a better death than that!" Hagrid exclaimed.

"Indeed," Albus agreed, waving his wand to levitate the body.

"M-may I?" Quirinus asked, stepping forward and raising his wand arm to take the body from Albus. "P-perhaps the attacking c-creature left a c-clue. I'd b-be happy t-to s-study it, Professor D-dumbledore."

"That is kind of you, Quirinus," Albus said. "Please do and let us know immediately if you do so."

"It looks as though it has been drained of its blood. I know of no creature in these woods that would harm a unicorn in this way. Do you, Hagrid?" Severus asked concernedly.

"No, Professor Snape," Hagrid sniffed, wiping at his eyes and nose. "Like I said, unicorns are the gentlest, purest animals. Revered by all the others."

"Obviously, not all," Severus acidly remarked.

"I am sure Quirinus will not rest until he finds the answer he is looking for," Albus soothed. "

"Y-yes," Quirinus interjected.

"Perhaps, I should aid you in your investigation," Severus suggested.

"I w-was h-hoping H-hagrid would assist me?" Quirinus asked, looking over at the groundskeeper hopefully.

"What are you humans doing with that unicorn?" an angry voice called, accompanied by the sound of hooves angrily pawing the ground.

Albus turned towards the entrance of the clearing to see a large, black centaur standing there, his face etched in fury.

"Good morning, Bane," Albus called. "I assume you received my message?"

"You have no business here, human," Bane spat, cantering forward.

"Now see here!" Hagrid called. "That's no way ta speak ta Professor Dumbledore!"

"Release the unicorn," Bane commanded, ignoring Hagrid. "We will not have you butcher it further."

"Stand down, Bane," a calmer, melodic voice ordered, and another reddish brown centaur joined his brother in the clearing. "I apologize for his behaviour, Professor Dumbledore. We are… unsettled by the disturbances in the forest these past few moons."

"That is quite all right, Firenze," Albus stated.

"Do not apologize to these humans!" Bane exclaimed. "It is they who should apologize. They come uninvited to our forest and wreak havoc on the cycle of life here."

"Is there anything you can tell us?" Albus asked, hoping perhaps the centaurs had seen something.

"My brothers and I have been watching the stars," Firenze continued. "What they portend has confused us."

"Venus and Mars are bright," Bane muttered, his attention moving to gaze at the sky, as if seeking out the unseen planets mentioned. "More death is coming."

Quirinus visibly trembled beside Albus and his hold on the unicorn faltered. Albus quickly intervened, levitating the beast before it could fall to the ground.

Firenze's nostrils quivered, "I smell a foul stench." He looked over the humans standing before him and took a small step towards them. Quirinus stumbled backwards away from Albus and the unicorn as the centaur approached.

"S-stay back, centaur!" the Defence professor cried as he tripped over a large tree root and fell to the ground.

"Prejudice!" Bane growled, his face darkening and he stepped closer.

"Now," Albus began, intervening between them, "Quirinus did not mean it as it sounds, I assure you."

"You defend this creature?" the black centaur asked in disgust, his nose wrinkling as he angrily pawed the ground. Quirinus attempted to push himself to his feet, his ridiculous turban askew upon his head. A foul aroma filled the clearing, evident even to the humans and half-giant present.

"You have brought a monster among us," Firenze whispered, his flanks trembling as he nervously pawed the ground and gazed at Quirinus. "It is here."

"Of what do you speak, Firenze?" Albus asked.

"Nothing!" Quirinus shouted, scrambling over the ground in an attempt to get away from the agitated centaurs. "He speaks of nothing, Headmaster!"

Severus stepped between the clearing exit and the escaping Defence professor, his wand appearing in his right hand as he stared the man down.

"Move, Severus," he demanded, his wand now in his hand, as well.

"What happened to your stutter, Quirinus?" the Potions Master asked, his dark eyebrow arching over his eye.

"You cannot stop me!" Quirinus cried, sending a curse hurtling towards Severus. He dodged out of the way, sending a Blasting Curse towards his attacker. It hit the ground where Quirinus had been standing, sending dirt flying through the air. He was running towards the other side of the clearing, looking behind him to cast another curse at the men remaining in the clearing. Bane galloped to intercept him, rearing on his hind legs. Sending another curse towards Severus, Quirinus turned in time to see Bane just before the centaur's hooves battered him about the face and chest. Pushing the man to the ground, Bane continued to maul him. The Defence professor cried in pain even as he levelled his wand upon the enraged centaur.

"No, Bane!" Hagrid bellowed, charging across the clearing towards the duo.

"Avada Kedavra!" came a strangled cry from Quirinus as a sickly green light emerged from the tip of his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Albus roared angrily, and the Defence professor's wand soared through the air to land firmly in the Headmaster's outstretched left hand, but it was too late. The Killing Curse hit Bane squarely in the chest and he crumpled to the ground, falling atop the wizard who had murdered him.

"Bane!" Firenze exclaimed, as cries of agony filled the clearing.

Quirinus flailed beneath the fallen centaur, his eyes widening in alarm as his body went rigid. The turban about his head had come unravelled in Bane's attack and Albus could see the man's complexion beneath was pasty white and he was completely bald. His head turned from side to side, and his body shuddered in agony. In all Quirinus' thrashing, Albus caught an appalling glimpse of a ghostly visage embedded in the back of the man's skull.

"Tom," he whispered as he took a step closer to gain a better vantage point of the spectacle. A roar of anger filled the clearing upon his approach and a ghostly shadow swiftly departed the Defence professor's body. It swept towards Albus, nothing more than a black filmy mist with glowing red eyes before dispersing over the heads of the disbelieving bystanders left in the clearing. A fierce wind followed in its wake and dark storm clouds rolled over the sky after the apparition.

With the departure of the parasitic being, Quirinus' body stilled completely. Albus knelt beside him, and gently rolled the wizard to his back. His eyes stared sightlessly up at the trees above him.

"You were right," Severus gasped from where he stood rooted to his spot. Albus merely nodded, knowing to what his friend was referring. Voldemort was attempting to return, and it appeared Quirinus had been his first victim. Thankfully, the Philospher's Stone still lay hidden safely away within the castle, but it would have to be destroyed.

"Darkness is upon us all," Firenze murmured, gazing up at the black clouds that were clearing as suddenly as they had appeared. "Only the light can save us."

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

The previous evening, after Professor Snape had left them and they had cleared the table and tidied up the kitchen, the Weasleys and Harry settled in the sitting room as had become the norm over the winter. Mrs Weasley pulled her knitting from the basket that sat by her chair and set the needles to continuing the afghan she was currently working on. Mr Weasley sat in his favourite armchair and pulled a book called _Learn to Drive in 10 Easy Stages_ he had picked up in a Muggle bookshop around the corner from the Ministry.

As Ginny had predicted, it hadn't taken much to convince her father on the idea of a drive to Godric's Hollow, but her mother had been more reticent. After ensuring her father was on board, the children and he had spent the better part of the winter dropping subtle hints and complaining of suffering from severe cabin fever. It was true they hadn't gone anywhere since their trip to Ottery St Catchpole for the Bonfire Night celebration, and it hadn't take much acting on Ginny's and Harry's part. However, Ginny thought it was the sight of Harry pouring over the few pages in his _History of Magic_ book containing information on his parents that had finally convinced her mother they should take the trip. She had glimpsed a look of worry light her mother's eyes on occasion, which was a sure sign she was wavering. Meanwhile, her father had spent most of his spare time tinkering with the car and studying maps, and no doubt Mrs Weasley wanted to please him, as well.

So, it was with some trepidation she had agreed to the trip, which had resulted in broad smiles from Mr Weasley and the two children. She couldn't possibly back out after that reception. She had informed them that they would not go until all the snow had melted and spring was well under way, but that was something they all could readily agree upon.

The weather had since turned and spring was definitely upon them, and they were to set out early Sunday morning in order to give them plenty of time to reach their destination and allow for a wrong turn or two along the way. While Mr Weasley was confident in his driving ability and had assured his wife he had been practicing every weekend since the snow had melted, she was still nervous about the planned adventure.

That evening, after looking over the driving manual one final time, Mr Weasley announced that he was more than ready for the trip and suggested they retire to bed early in order to get an early start the next morning.

By the time Ginny and Harry arrived in the kitchen upon awaking, Mr Weasley was already outside getting the car ready and Mrs Weasley was packing up their lunch of corned beef sandwiches. Turning from the hamper, she greeted the children and proceeded to make them a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast. They settled into the routine that had become the norm, with Ginny retrieving the orange juice from the chiller and Harry setting the table. He found he didn't mind at all assisting Ginny's mother with chores and actually found the moments they spent together working silently to be quite pleasant. He was just placing the final piece of cutlery when Mrs Weasley turned from the stove with two heaping plates of food and smiled over at him.

"Thank you, Harry," she said and Harry felt his cheeks burn and his eyes widened at her acknowledgement. While she had never treated him like his aunt and he had always sensed she appreciated his efforts, this was the first time Ginny's mother had ever actually vocalized her feelings.

"You're welcome, Mrs Weasley," he managed before taking his place before the plate she set in front of him.

Mr Weasley returned from pulling the car out of the shed, announcing that the automobile was in tip-top order, and sat at his place just as his wife set his breakfast before him. They ate quickly, as they all were eager to be off, and quickly washed up.

The drive to Godric's Hollow was uneventful. Mr Weasley handled the car as well as any Muggle, which led Harry to suspect he had practiced more than he had let on to his wife. The rolling hillside was just beginning to green with the coming spring, and occasionally they spotted a few sheep dotting the landscape.

They arrived in the sleepy village around ten o'clock and headed down the Main Street to the town square. It was similar to Ottery St Catchpole, but on a much smaller scale. The street they drove down was lined with Tudor styled cottages and it appeared that most of the few shops the village possessed were located in the circle that ran around a tall obelisk that sat at its centre. As they drew closer to the structure, the air shimmered around it to reveal a statue of a family; a man and woman sitting on a bench holding a small child between them.

Harry shook his head and closed his eyes as Mr Weasley slowed the car. When he opened them again, the statue remained and he peered out the window to gain a closer look.

"It's enchanted to only appear to witches and wizards," Mr Weasley explained, answering Harry's unspoken question. "Muggles, of course, see the obelisk, as we did before we drew nearer."

"Perhaps we should park and stretch our legs a bit?" Mr Weasley suggested, pulling the car around the statue and parking at a spot by the curb.

They exited the car and walked back to the statue to stand before it. There was a simple plaque at the base that simply said "In Memorium". Harry studied the likenesses and found them to be close to the pictures of his parents and himself that had been taken not long before the tragic affair. Whoever had sculpted the work must have taken care and studied whatever pictures that were provided. He couldn't find a name inscribed anywhere on the statue. The idea that some unknown person had created a statue to honour his parents and himself made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"It's a lovely tribute," Mrs Weasley sniffed, dabbing lightly at the corners of her eyes.

Ginny remained by his side, saying nothing, but offering her silent support, while Mr and Mrs Weasley murmured quietly to each other. It was clear they weren't sure what to say, but Harry didn't mind. He would rather they didn't try, and having stared at the sad sculpture enough, he turned away to study the streets that led away from the town square. A short distance down one he spotted a church spire and became aware of the faint sound of pealing bells. The street sign leading towards the source of the sound was aptly named Church Street.

"Do you…?" Ginny began, trailing off.

"I do," Harry affirmatively answered her unfinished question.

They made their way down the street passing a few shops that were all closed for the day. There wasn't anyone about, and Harry assumed with all the shops being closed there wasn't much reason to be in the centre of town. However, as they approached the church, they caught sight of a few stragglers making their way inside for the service. The bells had stopped ringing and had been replaced by the strains of organ music.

A gated path led down the side of the church, past arched stained glass windows that depicted the martyrdom of one saint or another. The corners of a few small mausoleums could be seen situated behind the church, and taking the path, the quartet made their way to a modest-sized cemetery. Many of the gravestones at the front were crumbling and in various states of neglect, but the ones further back appeared to be newer and in better condition. Heading towards that section, they began to silently search for the one pair of graves that held any interest to them. After a few moments of walking up and down the narrow paths between the tombstones, they found it, a headstone of gleaming white marble that shone in the morning sun. Other than their names and dates of birth and death, there was only one simple inscription: _The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death_. It was a simple tribute to a couple whose lives had been anything but.

Their grave was neat and there were fresh flowers placed on Lily's side. It was clear that the site was well-tended by someone who must visit often. Harry looked around to see if anyone else was about, as the evidence of the flowers suggested someone had been here not long ago. However, they were the only ones present in the cemetery. He sighed, it was yet another piece to add to the puzzle of his disjointed life. He would very much like to know the person who cared enough to leave his mother flowers, and wondered if he would ever have that chance.

A heavy sadness overcame him, as he realized that a small part of him had still been hoping there wouldn't be a grave to mark their untimely demise. He now wished he hadn't been so adamant about coming here. No tears came and he was ashamed to admit that the brief sadness he had been feeling was quickly turning to anger. He was angry that his parents couldn't cross-over from the celestial plane they now lived on to comfort him and he mourned the life he could have had with them.

So much of his life was still a mystery to him, especially since everything his aunt and uncle had ever told him had turned out to be lies. He had no idea who he was, only that he had been thrust into a fantastical world his parents had always been very much a part of. If it hadn't been for Ginny, Harry was certain he would have been lost.

"As I live and breathe," a shaking female voice sounded from behind them, "Harry Potter, is that you?"

They all turned, Mr Weasley pushing Harry and Ginny slightly behind him as they did so, and saw an ancient and stooped woman standing there. She supported her weight on a twisted willow cane and wore thick steel grey woollen robes. Her hair was nearly the same colour as her robes and was pulled up in a loose bun atop her head, with stray strands slipping out to blow across her face in the breeze. Her watery blue eyes stared unblinking at Harry and she took a small step toward him, as her face broke out in a broad smile that revealed several missing teeth.

"I never thought I'd live to see you again!" she exclaimed.

"Have we met?" Harry asked, stepping to stand at Mr Weasley's side.

"Oh my, child," the woman said, "I doubt you would remember, you were only a babe at the time. Your mother and father lived just down the lane from me, and I would share tea with your mum at least once a week."

"Really?" Harry couldn't believe the luck of meeting someone here who actually remembered and knew his parents. "Who are you?"

The old woman smiled, "I apologize for my rudeness. I'm Bathilda Bagshot."

"Bathilda Bagshot," he repeated, knowing he had heard or seen that name before and then it came to him. "You wrote _A History of Magic_."

"Guilty as charged," Bathilda said.

"And you really knew my parents?" he asked in disbelief.

"I did," she affirmed. "My, you do remind me of your father, except you have your mother's eyes."

Harry said nothing to this, as he had seen enough pictures of his parents to know that what the elderly lady stated was the truth. He was curious as to why, if she knew his parents as well as she said she did, so little of them had been mentioned in _A History of Magic_. He didn't even know why Voldemort had ever thought to be threatened by a young child or why he had decided Harry was that child. It appeared to him his parents had died senseless deaths, and he was disappointed that seeing their graves had done little give him any real closure.

"Have you seen your house yet?" Bathilda asked, studying Harry intently, and he wondered if she was as experienced in Legilimency as Professor Snape was and had captured a glimpse of his dark thoughts.

"Not yet," Mr Weasley answered before Harry could.

"I'd be happy to show you," Bathilda offered, "but I'm sorry we haven't been properly introduced."

"Yes," Mr Weasley said, "My name's Arthur Weasley, this is my wife Molly, and our daughter, Ginny."

Ginny stepped to Harry's side as her father introduced her and Bathilda's eyes lit up. "Oh, aren't you a pretty girl!" she enthused, causing Ginny's cheeks to turn bright red and duck her head so her hair would fall over her face. "No need to be modest, dear," Bathilda continued before turning to Mrs Weasley, "Lovely to meet you all."

"And you," Mrs Weasley replied.

Bathilda nodded, "Well, if you'll follow me. I'll show you the way to your home."

She turned and slowly made her way back up the path that would lead them out to Church Street. Turning right, she continued past the church and onward down the lane, past a grocer and a few homes. They soon left the town proper, and the houses were spread further apart. Reaching a crossroads, Bathilda pointed to a quaint little cottage.

"My home," she stated. The chimneys were choked with running ivy that was slowly making it's away across the eaves. The garden was filled with every wild flower imaginable, a small dirt path twisted to an oaken door with large lead-paned windows on either side. An immensely fat tabby cat sat in one of the windows, its amber eyes staring intently at them.

"And yours is right down here," she continued, turning left away from her home. The one or two houses they passed were empty, and it was clear no one had lived in them for quite some time if the states of the gardens were any indication. It was a lonely place and it possessed a sense of eeriness that sent a small shiver down Harry's spine. He was uncertain if it was the anticipation of seeing the scene of his parents brutal murder or if there was something else lingering in the air. He glanced over at Ginny and she appeared to share his apprehension, but neither of her parents seemed disturbed.

A few more feet down the lane, Bathilda stopped in front of a neglected fence in advanced stages of disrepair, The overgrown garden had claimed the dirt path that led up to the front door, that hung off its hinges. The windows on either side of the door were broken, and the little that could be glimpsed of the inside showed walls and floors blackened with mould and the residue of long ago cast spells and curses. The roof had collapsed, leaving the upstairs rooms open to the elements and there was a gaping hole on the upper left-hand side of the house, with only a few crumbling walls remaining.

A small gasp escaped Ginny's lips upon seeing the wreckage and she took Harry's hand in her own, gripping it tightly. Even without words it was easy to sense her dismay at how easily things could have gone differently on that awful night nearly eleven years ago. Her mother, also stared at the house and a tear trickled down her cheek. Her husband placed his arm about her shoulder and pulled her close to him.

Bathilda nodded solemnly, "It's not a pretty sight, I'm afraid to say. I'm sorry."

Harry couldn't say what he was feeling upon seeing his first home and the ruin that had been wrought upon it. He had no memory of that fateful night except perhaps in dreams, where he sometimes saw a blinding flash of green light. He didn't remember his parents, and all he had left of them were the pictures in a photo album. In those pictures they had appeared happy and to love him very much. That thought made his heart ache knowing he would never know what it was like to be raised by two loving parents who would do anything for him, and looking at the house, anger burned within him. Anger at the man who thought he could simply kill them all in order to achieve what he wanted. Anger for the life that had been robbed from him.

"Oh my," Bathilda muttered, her eyes averted to the horizon beyond the house. Dark clouds were quickly rolling across the sky, obscuring the bright blue sky. "I don't recall hearing about storms for today."

The trees surrounding the house bowed under a fierce wind that suddenly blew about them. Ginny's long tresses whipped around her face, and her parents pulled her and Harry closer to them as they were buffeted about. Harry stared at the darkness approaching them and felt a pull within him towards the storm. The wind wailed and moaned, sounding both inhuman and human and a shudder ran through him.

"We need to get inside," Mr Weasley shouted above the squall.

"We should retire to my cottage," Bathilda ordered and began heading back down the lane towards the village.

The Weasleys followed, pulling Harry and Ginny along with them. Harry looked back over his shoulder. The clouds were gathering above his parents' ruined cottage and he saw a dark shadow swoop down from the sky towards him. He opened his mouth to attract Mr Weasley's attention when Ginny's shriek of terror rang out.

"Harry!"

A ghostly shadow tore through him, sending pain searing from his scar to radiate out through his body. An angry scream of rage filled his head as Harry felt his body falling, black spots dotting his vision. Mr Weasley caught him before he crumpled to the ground, kneeling down with him.

"Harry," his call echoed in Harry's ears and the last thing he saw before the darkness completely took him was Ginny's frightened face looking down at him.


	7. Chapter 7 - Hogwarts

**Author's Notes: **I am going to warn everyone now that events take a turn in this chapter you may not like. I posted this update on another site and some of my readers were very upset to the point of stating they would not be reading any further installments. I think this is quite juvenile of them, as I have some great and exciting things planned for this story. I ask you all to read this installment with an open mind and remember that this is a soul-bond story and Harry and Ginny are already well and truly together. Thanks, as always to my betas, Arnel, Brennus, and seekers_destiny.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Harry was jarred awake by the sound of a neighbour running his lawnmower. Groaning, he cracked his eyes open and judging by the thin sliver of light shining through the crack of the shuttered window by his bed it was early morning, perhaps just after dawn. He didn't recall having shutters on his window in his room at the Weasleys, and he sat up abruptly, his head pounding with the sudden movement. Blearily rubbing his forehead, he reached blindly towards the rickety bedside table to fumble for his glasses. Finding them, he placed them on his nose and squinted about the dim room. Plain, whitewashed walls came into focus, a rough wood doorframe, the window and another bed that contained a lump beneath the dishevelled sheets and bedcovers. The lawnmower sound was coming from the lump, and Harry realized it was only Ron snoring and they were in a room at the Leaky Cauldron.

Heaving a sigh, he fell back against the thin pillows of his bed and stared up at the ceiling. All summer he had been plagued by dreams of the phantom mist that had overtaken him outside his parents ruined cottage. After the first encounter, he had awoken in the guest room of Bathilda's home, surrounded by the worried faces of Ginny, her parents, Bathilda, and Professor Dumbledore. They informed him he had been unconscious for over two days, and had inquired if he had any recollection of what had happened to him.

Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to recall a thing except the piercing pain in his scar and feeling surrounded by immense anger. He hadn't been sure how to put that into words. All he knew was it hadn't been a pleasant experience. Apparently, Professor Dumbledore deduced as much and didn't press the matter.

Harry had been relieved to know Ginny had not been affected by whatever disturbance had caused his seizure, and had only been worried along with her parents. Apparently, Professor Dumbledore had grilled her quite intensely while Harry had been unconscious in the hopes that she would be able to give him further insight into what had happened. Ginny informed Harry later, that the headmaster had been disappointed she hadn't had any further information for him. She also mentioned that the he had taken her parents and Bathilda into a private conference, leaving her to watch over Harry. When her parents returned they had had troubled looks on their faces, but would not share whatever the headmaster had divulged to them.

Harry and Ginny had spent many hours trying to figure out what may have been said in that closed meeting, to no avail. However, the morning after he had awoken, they had come across a disturbing article in the _Daily Prophet_ that detailed the untimely demise of Professor Quirrell. Ginny noted that his death had occurred the same day Harry had his encounter and it set them to wondering if there was some connection. None of the adults were forthcoming with any information and chalked it up to Harry having simply come down with a cold.

Bathilda had insisted they stay an extra day with her, to make sure Harry was at full health. While he had been aggravated that no one seemed to be able to explain what had happened to him, it had been nice to sit with the wizened witch and hear tales about his parents. She informed him he could visit any time and had made him promise to write to her from time to time to let her know how he was fairing. He had readily agreed.

It was clear that the Weasleys were disturbed by the turn of events in Godric's Hollow, as was to be expected, and once they returned to the Burrow did not allow either himself or Ginny to leave the garden. That meant no visits to see Luna and the summer turned out to be interminably long, boring, and hot. They spent most of their time outside by the pond with Ron and the twins, and occasionally Luna when she was able to visit. Percy spent the summer in his room, as he had the previous summer, However, he made considerable use of his owl, Hermes, which had them all speculating as to who he was writing to so prolifically.

Their school letters had arrived on Harry's birthday and they had hoped it would mean a trip to Diagon Alley to procure their school supplies. However, the adult Weasleys had other plans and informed them that they would not travel there until the day before school started. The worried glances Ginny's parents exchanged had not gone unnoticed nor the crease that had appeared between Mrs Weasley's brows when she perused the school lists. All of her children still at Hogwarts were required to obtain a new set of Defence Against the Dark Arts textbooks, none of which would be available used. Ginny also was in need of a wand and school robes, as her petite frame was far too small even for Ron's hand-me-down school robes. Harry had tried to politely remind Mrs Weasley that Ginny would be able to access the money that was in the Potter vault to pay for her school things, but this had not gone over too well.

As it was, when they did finally arrive in Diagon Alley and went to Gringotts to withdraw money from their vaults, Mrs Weasley only took enough from Harry's vault to cover the cost of the new Defence books he needed plus the alterations to the school robes he had purchased last year that were now a few inches too short in the sleeves and hem. He had managed to convince her to allow him to take a bit extra for spending money, but she had not allowed Ginny to do the same. The girl had not complained of this, since, despite their discussion back in autumn, Harry suspected she still had misgivings about sharing in his inheritance. He would have to be sure to speak with her about it at some point, but for the time being took enough to cover both of them.

Ron snorted in his sleep, shaking Harry from his reverie and he slipped out of bed to rummage in his trunk for clothes. He came across the box that contained his wand and removing the lid, slipped the shiny black stick of wood out of the cushioned lining. He recalled how he had felt when Mr Ollivander had placed it in his hand the first time last year. It had been as if a surge of energy had flowed from his hand into the holly wood. The wand maker had been very happy to see him again yesterday when they had entered his shop to obtain a wand for Ginny. After only a couple of tries, the wand that had chosen her was a sleek nine inch golden hazel wood with a dragon heartstring core. As soon as she had wrapped her hand around its spiralled handle the tip of the wand had glowed brightly and colourful sparks had shot out the end. Mr Ollivander had crowed in delight declaring it was a perfect match, foreseeing many a powerful spell being cast by the young witch.

_Harry, are you nervous?_

He grimaced, realizing he was indeed feeling apprehensive about attending the Wizarding school and being surrounded by students who, to hear Ron tell it, had been speculating over his whereabouts all year. It didn't help matters that he and Ron had heard the muffled sounds of Mrs Weasley's weeping from the room next to their own. She had been very vocal about expressing her dismay at her youngest and only daughter going away to school, and it had taken both Mr Weasley and Professor Dumbledore to convince her that it was for the best. She had made the headmaster promise he would ensure that Ginny was kept safe and free from harm and compromising situations.

_Yes,_ he admitted, knowing his best friend had already picked up on his emotion and it would be pointless to lie.

_Me too,_ Ginny replied. _But it's going to be okay. We'll be together._

_Yeah_, Harry agreed.

He and the Weasley brood had spent a considerable amount of time the prior evening at a table in a corner of the Leaky Cauldron discussing Hogwarts and the various Houses he and Ginny could be Sorted into. The boys had been vague as to how the decision was made over where students were placed and would only state that an enchanted hat made the crucial decision. According to Fred and George, which House you were placed in was more important than just about anything else at the school, and apparently some were better than others.

Gryffindor was, naturally the best because for one, every Weasley ever born had been a Gryffindor and most of the students in that house were the coolest, most daring, and popular. Not to mention they had the best Quidditch team, despite the fact that Gryffindor hadn't won the House cup or Quidditch cup in years.

Ravenclaw was the second choice, containing witches and wizards who were well known for their intelligence and creativity. The mention of Hufflepuff was met with snorts of laughter from the twins and Ron, and they stated that most of the students in that house were a bunch of dullards, rejects not good enough for the other houses. However, even they agreed that being placed in Hufflepuff would be better than Slytherin. Slytherin was filled with a nasty assortment of students, most of whose parents had joined in with Voldemort's Death Eater forces during his rise to power.

"Professor Snape is their Head of House," Ron had groused, "and he's the most evil git I know. Always favouring his own students despite the fact that there's not a decent one amongst the lot of them."

Fred and George had concurred that Snape did not have a sense of humour, and seemed to turn a blind eye to any wrong-doing by a Slytherin student. Harry could agree that from his experience with Professor Snape that he was not one for frivolity, but other than that, he couldn't say he felt derision for the man like the twins and Ron.

He pondered all the information he had learned the previous evening about the Houses. _Hogwarts: A History_ never mentioned how the students were Sorted, only that they were judged by traits that most resembled one of the four founders. The textbook had also mentioned that the founders had once been close friends who had decided to build the school in order to pass on their knowledge to young witches and wizards.

Shoving thoughts of Hogwarts aside for the time being, Harry focused on getting dressed and ensuring everything he needed was in his trunk. He and Ron had spent the night before looking over their school things and flipping through the pages of their new set of Defence Against the Dark Arts books. They had had a good laugh over the large picture of the author, Gilderoy Lockhart that adorned the back of each book. With his perfectly coiffed blond hair, and gleaming white teeth, he had smiled broadly out at them, his blue eyes twinkling merrily as he winked. Ron had immediately announced the wizard looked like a ponce, which had elicited dark looks from the picture of the man in question.

The books were thrown haphazardly in the top of Harry's trunk, next to the box that had contained his wand. Laying his wand aside, he took out a Muggle shirt and trousers, dressed quickly and was just slipping his wand in his back pocket when Ron stirred.

"What'sit?" he mumbled blearily, scrubbing at this eyes and squinting over at Harry.

"Nearly time to go, I think," Harry answered just as the sound of the loud voices of the twins could be heard. They pounded on the door to the room as they passed and soon could be heard trampling down the stairs to the pub below.

"Right," Ron groaned, clearly not a morning person. "I'll be there."

Knowing the red haired boy was indicating breakfast, Harry nodded. Picking up Hedwig's cage he opened the door of the room before grabbing the handle of his trunk. He dragged it across the wooden floor, causing Ron to grimace at the loud scraping.

"Sorry," Harry apologized, and with a final jerk of his arm, tugged the trunk out into the hallway.

"Ah, Harry," Mr Weasley called, and Harry turned to see Ginny's father heading towards him down the hall, followed by his daughter. She smiled brightly at Harry and he returned the smile.

"Let me help you with that," her father said, drawing his wand and easily levitating the heavy trunk.

"Thank you, Mr Weasley," he fell into step beside Ginny and they continued to follow her father down the stairs, Harry's trunk leading the way.

"Wish we could do magic," Ginny sighed and Harry nodded his agreement. He had to admit, despite his nervousness, he was very excited to finally be attending Hogwarts. After spending a year observing Mr and Mrs Weasley perform magic on a daily basis, he felt he was well acclimated to his new world and ready to try his hand at spellwork.

Breakfast was a wild and noisy affair, with Mrs Weasley shouting several times at the twins to behave and stop badgering Percy. Afterwards, they all trooped out the exit that led to Charing Cross Road where Mr Weasley had parked the Anglia the night before. Harry wasn't certain how all of them plus all their trunks, cages, and other paraphernalia were going to fit in the boot of the car, but Mr Weasley didn't appear to have any trouble. He fit all six trunks in the boot and there was still room for their satchels.

Harry, Ginny and the twins sat in the back of the car, while Ron, Percy and the adult Weasleys were in the front. Harry held Hedwig's cage on his lap and was surprised at the amount of the room he still had. He recalled from their trip to Godric's Hollow that there hadn't been a lot of room left with just he and Ginny in the back, certainly not enough to accommodate the twins who were much stockier and taller than the younger children.

"Dad's placed an Undetectable Extension Charm on the car, Harry," Fred leaned over Ginny to whisper.

"But don't tell, Mum," George warned. "She thinks we all really can fit in here, as is, no magic."

"Really?" Harry whispered back, and the twins nodded towards the front where their mother was just remarking to Mr Weasley how roomy the car was.

Despite the heavy traffic, it was a short drive from Charing Cross Road to King's Cross Station, and Harry suspected Mr Weasley had added more enhancements to the automobile that allowed it to easily slip past the stopped traffic. They were pulling into a spot in the car park across from the station in no time. Mrs Weasley ordered Mr Weasley and the older boys to obtain trolleys while directing the younger children to stand by the car with her. They soon returned with four trolleys and they loaded them up. Ushering them across the street, Mrs Weasley led the way into the bustling station with Mr Weasley bringing up the rear.

As they entered, they elicited several strange looks from Muggles taking in the large entourage with turn-of-the-century looking trunks and cages containing two owls and a rat. Ignoring the looks, Mrs Weasley cleared a path to Platform Nine and headed for a column about halfway down the platform.

Harry pulled his letter from Hogwarts out of his jumper pocket and examined it again, noting that it stated that he was to report to Platform 9 3/4. Looking about he could plainly see signs that indicated Platforms Nine and Ten, but none for half or quarters. He was about to ask when Fred and George firmly gripped the handles of their trolleys and began barrelling towards the column Mrs Weasley stood beside. He couldn't help the yelp of surprise that escaped him as the twins approached the hard brick wall and instead of crashing into it as he had expected, disappeared completely.

"What?" Harry asked dumbly.

"Our platform is on the other side," Percy explained.

"But, they disappeared!" Harry exclaimed. "Won't the Muggles notice?" He glanced around at all the people rushing about to reach their destinations.

"It's an enchanted portal," the elder boy expounded, as Ron disappeared through the wall. "As you can see, the Muggles are too busy trying to get where they are going to notice."

"And the Notice-Me-Not Charms cast in this area aid in that," Mr Weasley offered, joining in the conversation. He smiled down at Harry, "Ready to give it a try?"

Harry nodded uncertainly, gripping the handle of his trolley tighter. Taking a deep breath, he moved closer to the column.

"Just walk straight towards it, Harry," Mrs Weasley offered encouragingly. He glanced at Ginny who smiled back.

"Good luck!" she cheered, giving him the fortification he needed to ignore what his brain was telling him was an impossibility. Taking a deep breath and quickening his pace, Harry walked into the column and found himself entering a bustling station, filled with students of all ages and their guardians. There were trunks similar to his own and cages containing owls, rats, and cats. Fred and George waved merrily to him, as they and Ron unloaded their trolleys, stacking the trunks on the platform. Behind them stood a gleaming train, its sides emblazoned with Hogwarts Express.

Students were already on board leaning out of the windows to call final farewells to their parents. Harry stared in wonder at the train and people clamouring about wearing an assortment of Muggle attire and wizard robes.

"You better move, Harry," Fred called.

"Unless you want to be run over," George remarked, nodding towards the column.

Harry stepped aside moments before Percy came barrelling through the column, followed closely by Ginny, and her parents. Mrs Weasley immediately began fussing with Ginny, smoothing her hair and asking if she had the lunch she had prepared for her.

"Yes, Mum," Ginny sighed in exasperation.

"Be good at school," Mrs Weasley reminded her. "Listen to your teachers, don't get into mischief, stay close to your brothers."

"If you don't want me to get into mischief, I'd better avoid Fred and George then," her daughter retorted, succeeding in redirecting her mother's concern for her over to her twin brothers. She turned on the twins and began admonishing them to behave, while Mr Weasley went to assist Percy with transferring all of their trunks to the baggage car.

Ginny turned and grinned to Harry and Ron. "Let's stick together, anyway," she suggested in a low voice so her mother would not hear.

"Fine," Ron agreed, "At least until the train pulls out of the station."

Mrs Weasley had finished lecturing the twins and was now hugging them tightly. Pushing them towards the train, she did the same to Percy as he returned to the group with his father before turning on the trio standing behind her. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she pulled first Ron and then Ginny into tight hugs. Harry stood awkwardly back, beside Mr Weasley who placed a hand lightly on his shoulder. Mrs Weasley whispered in her daughter's ear before turning to Harry.

"Harry, be safe," she simply said before raising her arms and pulling him into a hug. Shock flooded through him as she wrapped her arms about him, enveloping him in her soft warmth. She smelled like fresh cotton and yeast rolls, and he could not name the sensation that was coursing through him - shock, happiness, wonder, joy, regret all in one. She was withdrawing before he had had a chance to respond, or even absorb what had just happened.

The train whistle blew announcing its imminent departure and any stranglers left on the platform began rushing to board the train.

"Go!" Mrs Weasley called to her own children, as she and her husband began ushering them towards the nearest entrance. Harry followed behind Ron and Ginny, and clambered up into the train. They immediately began pushing their way down the aisle looking for an empty compartment to claim.

"Move!" Ron yelled to a couple of first years blocking the corridor. They scampered into the nearest compartment, before peeking their heads back out to see who had barked the order at them. When they spotted Ron and then looked past him at his companions, their eyes grew as wide as saucers and they unabashedly gaped at Harry.

In the close quarters of the train, he was becoming acutely aware of the stares he was receiving from not just the two first years, but any of the students they passed. A trail of whispers followed the trio as they attempted to weave their way through. Ginny took a firm hold of Harry's hand and then Ron's under the pretence of sticking together. Ron glared back at her for a moment, but as soon as he saw the look on his sister's face, he wisely kept his mouth closed and his lips formed a grim line as he returned to the task of leading the way.

"Blimey, that's Harry Potter!... Isn't he our age?... Where's he been?"

Harry cringed inwardly as he heard his name repeated over and over again as they moved down the aisle, and as was quickly becoming a habit just in the brief amount of time he had been back in the eyes of the Wizarding world, brushed his fringe down over the scar that might as well be a large flashing sign signalling his presence.

"Harry Potter! Harry, may I have your autograph?" a small, blond-headed boy stepped out of a compartment, blocking Harry's path, and obtusely unaware of Ginny scowling at his back.

"Er," Harry started, staring at the little boy who stood a head shorter than himself. "No?"

"Oh, please!" the boy persisted. "I'm Muggle-born, you see, but I've read all about you in our History of Magic textbook! You're the first famous wizard I've met!"

"He said no," Ginny firmly interjected, saving Harry the trouble of having to decline again.

The boy ignored Ginny and smiled brightly up at Harry. "That's all right, then. Maybe you'll feel up to it later." He bounced back into his compartment as unperturbed as he had been when he had intercepted them.

"Maybe I'll feel up to it?" Harry echoed as Ginny began dragging him down the corridor.

Ron snorted ahead of him. "As Mum would say, 'you are looking rather peaky, Harry'."

"Your mum never says that to me," Harry answered, feeling put-out that Ron and Ginny were treating him as if he were made of glass.

"We don't think that, Harry," Ginny admonished as Ron chirruped back. "She will one day, mate."

Harry shook his head. Mrs Weasley had warmed greatly to him over the past year and had even been so kind as to pack him a corned beef sandwich along with the ones she had made for the rest of her children, as well as give him his first hug, which he was still trying to process. However, he knew he was toeing a fine line when it came to the matriarch of the Weasley household. It was still going to take more time, and one day seemed a lifetime away.

"Finally!" Ron sighed, opening the door to an empty compartment and flinging himself onto a seat. Ginny pulled Harry inside and slid the door closed, effectively shutting out the shouts and calls of their fellow students. They settled across from Ron who had turned to wave out the window at his mother, who was standing on the platform looking intently from window to window until she knew all her children were accounted for, safely ensconced in compartments. Ginny looked out the window, waving enthusiastically, and her mother beamed when she saw Ginny and waved back.

The compartment door slid open revealing the twins and Percy who entered and clambered over Harry and Ron, ignoring their protests to wave at their mother as well.

_Wave to Mum, Harry_, Ginny whispered through his head.

Sighing, Harry stood and gazed over Ron's shoulder to wave timorously out at Mrs Weasley. She returned his wave and to his surprise her smile didn't waver. He smiled hesitantly back at her before plopping back into his seat with the others. The train lurched as it began pulling out of the station, and Ginny and Percy continued to wave at their mother until their car had rolled past her.

"Budge over, Ron!" Fred groused good-naturedly, shoving Ron over to make room for himself by the window.

"You nearly squashed Scabbers!" Ron shouted, rescuing his rat from where he had settled on the bench.

"I doubt he would have noticed it," George remarked.

"I'm going to look for Seamus and Dean," the youngest male Weasley groused, placing his still shivering rat in his shirt pocket before exiting the compartment.

"Ah, we should find Lee," Fred suggested, looking over at his twin.

"Agreed," his counterpart said, stepping away from the window.

Percy placed a hand firmly on George's arm before he could pass completely, "The prefects will be patrolling the aisles soon. No funny business."

"Who? Us?" Fred asked innocently.

Their elder brother looked between the twins sternly until both raised their right hands in a solemn vow. "We swear we're up to good."

Harry noticed both boys had their left hands hidden behind their backs with their fingers crossed. Fred glanced over his shoulder and winked down at him.

"We'll see," Percy doubtfully said, before turning his attentions to Ginny and Harry. "Will you two be all right here?"

Ginny nodded. "I imagine Luna will be along sooner or later."

Percy hesitated a moment longer before nodding. "If I'm not in the aisle I'll be in the prefects' carriage if you need me."

"Thanks, mum," Fred called as he and George sidled out the door. Percy glared after them, waving farewell to Ginny and Harry as he exited after his two mischievous brothers.

Harry leaned back on the bench as Ginny heaved a sigh of relief.

"Well," she breathed excitedly. "We're finally on our way, Harry!" She beamed over at him. "And Mum hugged you!"

"Yeah," he said, still uncertain how he felt about Mrs Weasley's sudden turn of affection.

"You didn't like it?" his friend asked in concern. "I thought you'd be happy."

"I am," Harry assured her, "It's just, I don't know what to make of it. No one's ever hugged me before except you, Ginny."

Ginny nodded her head. "I know, Harry, but that's going to change."

Not long after, Luna found them and the three of them spent the morning watching the scenery pass by and speculating what Hogwarts would really be like. They had pulled their robes out of their satchels for inspection and had put them on after seeing several prefects pass by their compartment already wearing their own school uniforms.

Harry had noted that the piping on the prefects robes were different colours than the standard black of their own robes, to which Luna had commented the piping would change colour after they were placed in their respective Houses. Later in the day, Ron returned in time for lunch and scoffed at their eagerness when he saw they already had donned their school attire. Despite his teasing, and more than likely in order not to feel left out, he had quickly pulled his own uniform out and was wearing it before lunch, as well.

Lunch consisted of corned-beef sandwiches Mrs Weasley had packed for them, and which Harry thought were one of the best things he had ever tasted. He was half-way through his second sandwich when a trolley with more sweets than he had ever seen in his lifetime stopped at their door. The portly woman accompanying the trolley, popped her head in and asked them if they wanted anything, and even as Ron was shaking his head no, Harry was standing, his hand reaching in his pocket for the galleons he had taken for spending money.

"What do you want?" he asked his friends, his eyes roving over the colourful boxes that promised to contain Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, and every other treat imaginable. He reached for a box of Every-Flavour Beans.

"It means exactly what it says, mate," Ron commented, coming to his side and eagerly reaching for a couple of Chocolate Frogs. "May I?" he asked, glancing over at Harry.

"Whatever you want," Harry insisted.

"I'd like a Pumpkin Pasty, please," Ginny told the woman.

"Do you have any candied turnips?" Luna asked, her wide blue eyes staring unblinking at the lady.

"No, dearie, afraid not," the woman responded without batting an eye at the odd request. "How about a sugar quill?"

"No, thank you," Luna replied. "I suppose a Liquorice Wand will have to do."

After perusing the cart a few moments longer and deciding to buy everything it had to offer, the four friends returned to their compartment. Their arms were laden with cauldron cakes, Chocolate Frogs, Liquorice Wands, jelly slugs, as well as the Every-Flavour Beans. They gorged themselves on the sweets saving the Every Flavour Beans for last and were now enjoying a fun game of guessing the flavor before sampling the candy. So far, Luna was winning, as she had an uncanny knack of knowing exactly what flavour each bean was, even when faced with two beans that were nearly the exact same shade of brown. One had turned out to be earthworm, and the other worn shoe leather. Harry was just reaching for a bright red bean he was hoping would be cherry when the compartment door slid open and a bushy haired girl, dressed in her school robes and carrying a satchel of books, poked her head in.

"Hello, Ron," she said, eyeing him speculatively, "I'm surprised to see you in your uniform already!" she exclaimed before turning her gaze to Ginny. "You must be Ginny, Ron's sister. I've heard about you from your older brother, Percy. My name's Hermione Granger, and I'm a second year."

Ron rolled his eyes at Hermione as she continued on. "I'm in Gryffindor just like all of your brothers. I suppose that's where you'll be Sorted, as well." She looked over to where Harry and Luna were sitting and her eyes bulged in shock. "You're Harry Potter!"

"I've been hearing that a lot today," Harry grumbled in acknowledgement of her pronouncement.

Hermione's eyebrows knitted together in thought as she openly scrutinized him. "You're our age," she began indicating herself and Ron. "Why are you just starting this year?"

"He's a slow learner," Ron offered.

Hermione ignored Ron as she took a seat next to him, completely missing the glare he was shooting her as she focused her attention on Harry. "I've read all about you. You're mentioned in _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_; after all, you are the only witch or wizard to ever have survived the Killing Curse." She dug within her satchel and pulled out a textbook whose binding was well worn and cracked from study, and she began flipping the pages near the back of the book. "This book contains the date and your age at the time, and I realized if you had survived you should have been at school last year, only you weren't."

She thrust the book into Harry's lap and pointed to the paragraph containing a brief synopsis of the events that had occurred on October 31, 1981. Harry scanned the words, stopping at the point where Bathilda very clinically described how his parents had been cut down by the Killing Curse before Voldemort turned his attentions to young Harry. He knew now that the old woman had had the most difficulty writing this portion of the book, hence the reason for its succinctness. She had been too close to his parents and him, and simply couldn't bring herself to relive the nightmare of that horrific night when she had first been tasked to write the next edition of their textbook. She had informed him that for many years she had only retained the very basic memories of that evening, as the knowledge of knowing she had been just down the street and helpless to aid Lily and James had tormented her endlessly otherwise. Harry tore his gaze from the words and glared up at Hermione.

"Thanks for reminding me," Harry sarcastically said.

"It's common knowledge," Hermione continued matter-of-factly, oblivious to his discomfort.

"Harry doesn't like talking about it," Luna offered quietly from her spot by the window.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Hermione asked politely.

"I'm Luna Lovegood, Harry's best friend," Luna replied, staring intently at the older girl.

"As am I," Ginny interjected. "And I must say, you have been quite rude."

"Oh," Hermione replied, looking between Luna and Harry, and then over at Ginny who was openly glaring at the girl. Hermione looked somewhat stricken at the sudden amount of tension in the compartment. "I'm sorry. I was just curious, that's all."

"I had difficulty adjusting to the news," Harry offered, feeling a twinge of sympathy. "You see, I didn't know about any of that until last year. As you can imagine, it was quite a blow to realize my parents had been magical and murdered."

"Oh," Hermione nodded, standing and heading to the door, which she quickly opened. "I didn't know. Again, I'm sorry." She stepped out and began closing the door.

"She is such a know-it-all," Ron complained loudly. "She was like that all last year! She doesn't have any friends because she thinks she knows more than any of us."

A sob escaped from Hermione and she turned blindly away, bumping into someone just outside Harry's line of view. She dropped her satchel to the floor and her books spilled out over the corridor floor.

"Look where you're going, Granger!" a cold voice spat.

The door slid open again to reveal Hermione on the floor attempting to gather up her books through her tears and a pale, pinch-faced boy with hair that was so blond it was nearly white, stepped over her and into the compartment. He was accompanied by two larger boys who would have fit in perfectly with Dudley and his gang and Harry immediately felt a strong dislike for the three boys. The larger boys remained in the corridor and began harassing Hermione as she continued to collect her things, kicking her fallen books further down the corridor, and stomping on the parchment and quills that were scattered about.

The blond boy looked around at the four of them with a sneer. "Well, Weasley, I see your little sister will be attending Hogwarts this year." He took in Ron's and Ginny's robes. "I see your father still couldn't manage to scrape together enough money to buy you decent robes."

Ron emitted a low growl as he glared up at the haughty boy, and there was no mistaking the shame Harry felt flood through Ginny at his harsh words. He stood to confront him, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. The boy's pale blue eyes alighted on Harry's scar and widened in surprise.

"Harry Potter!" the boy exclaimed. His sneer turned to a smile and he stepped forward, holding out his hand, clearly unshaken by the cold look upon Harry's face. "I'm Draco Malfoy."

Harry stared at Draco's outstretched hand, but did not offer his own. "Apologize," he firmly stated.

"Excuse me?" Draco asked, the smile on his face wavering.

"Apologize," Harry repeated, "To my friends."

"For what? I only stated the truth! I'd be careful who you choose to associate with, Potter," he spat, even as he was back-stepping out of the compartment. His two cronies immediately stopped tormenting Hermione to stand behind their leader.

"I could say the same about you, Malfoy," Harry retorted looking between Draco's counterparts.

"I know the right sort," Draco proclaimed. "This is Crabbe and Goyle. Why don't you come sit with us? We can set you to rights."

"I'm all right here, thanks," Harry replied, as Ron, Ginny and Luna came to stand in the doorway and glare at Draco, as well.

Draco's nose crinkled up in disgust. "Suit yourself, Potter. You'll find out soon enough when we arrive at Hogwarts."

He turned and walked quickly back down the corridor from whence he had come, followed by his friends. Harry watched him a moment longer before kneeling to help Hermione collect the remainder of her things. She kept her head bowed and avoided looking at him. He reached for a plain, black book nearest his feet and picked it up along with a couple of second year spellbooks that had scattered further down the corridor. He silently handed the stack of books to her.

"Thank you," Hermione murmured, taking the books and shoving them into her satchel before finally lifting her head to glance at him. "Again, I'm sorry."

She stood and hurried down the corridor in the opposite direction from Draco.

"I think you hurt her feelings, Ron," Ginny commented.

"Who cares? What about Draco hurting ours?" Ron carped. "He had no right to talk about Dad that way!"

"I know," Ginny agreed, and Harry glanced over at her to see her eyes full of sadness.

"Don't worry about what Draco said," he assured them. "We all know how hard your father works."

"Well, now you've met, Draco," Ron said as they re-entered their compartment. "You don't have to guess which House he belongs to. Slytherin."

"They can't all be like him," Luna commented, settling by the window again.

"Trust me, they are," Ron firmly said.

"You shouldn't judge a whole House by a few students," the blonde girl counselled.

"You'll see when we get to Hogwarts," he retorted, and Harry couldn't help but think how much he sounded like Draco when he said it.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

They spent the remainder of the ride to Hogwarts, attempting to put the uncomfortable confrontation with both Hermione and Draco out of their minds by discussing what they could expect upon their arrival at the school. Ron was particularly close-lipped on this matter, as he felt strongly that since he had not been apprised on the matter when he had begun school the previous year, then neither should they. He left them when they approached the station to seek out his own group of friends, stating all the first years were required to stay together and arrive at the school in a separate group from the rest of the student body.

When the train came to a complete stop, Ginny, Harry, and Luna exited their compartment and joined the thronging group of students in the corridor all making their way to the exits of the car. Excited chatter filled the air as both students new and old called out to their friends on the platform. The blond boy from earlier in the day spotted them as they stepped down from the car and waved enthusiastically in their direction.

"Isn't it exciting?" he chirruped, as they approached. "I'm Colin Creevey, by the way!"

"Hello," Luna said kindly, returning Colin's wide smile. "I'm Luna, and these are my friends, Ginny and…"

"Harry Potter!" Colin said breathlessly. "I know. We met earlier, remember, Harry?"

Harry nodded, wincing as Colin pulled his camera out again. Hagrid's familiar voice boomed above the noise of the crowd, distracting the blond boy. He turned his camera away from Harry to begin madly snapping pictures as the giant approached. Ginny heard Harry's sigh of relief and grinned over at him.

"You're a celebrity, Harry," she teased.

"Shut it," he returned.

"First years, come with me!" Hagrid bellowed, causing Colin to jump. The groundskeeper grinned down at the four of them. "Hello, Ginny and Harry! Good to see you again!"

"You, too, Hagrid!" Harry replied, having brightened considerably upon seeing his friend.

"And who are your friends?" Hagrid asked, looking Luna and Colin over.

The small blond boy beamed up at Hagrid in wonder. "I'm Colin! Are you a giant?"

"I suppose to you I am," Hagrid said with a smile and reached down to ruffle Colin's hair with a meaty paw, before turning his attention on Luna. "And I'd bet anything you're Luna Lovegood."

"How did you know?" Luna asked, her blue eyes widening as she gazed up at the giant of a man.

"Look just like your mum when she was a first year," Hagrid replied, causing Luna to smile brightly up at him. "Come along you four, you can ride with me."

He turned and began making his way back down the platform. His large form created enough of a wake in the crowd that the four first years were able to follow easily in his path. Along the way he kept shouting for the first years to follow him, and the quartet was soon joined by the remaining students starting at Hogwarts that year. When they reached the end of the platform, Ginny espied a small dock, about which several boats with lanterns hanging off their bows bobbed in the water. The platform had been so brightly lit by torches, she hadn't even realized they were so close to a lake until then. Most of the older students had already disappeared, leaving just Hagrid and the first years clustered about the dock.

"Everybody choose a boat, but be sure to keep your hands and feet inside at all times," Hagrid warned. "We're crossing the Great Lake, and ye never know what may be lurkin' beneath the surface."

He stepped into the closest boat and gestured for Ginny and the others to follow. All the other students began scrambling for boats as well, some teetering precariously as they fought for seats. Hagrid kept their boat steady, and once the four of them were seated, he turned towards the bow and it began moving out onto the water.

Ginny gazed about, the excitement growing within as they drew away from the dock. In the distance she could see the faint pinpricks of light and the outline of a castle. She glanced over at Harry to find him just as transfixed by the sight. Meanwhile, Colin was again snapping pictures, although it was so dark, Ginny doubted any of them would turn out. He babbled happily to Luna, who didn't seem to mind his constant stream of chatter, and only nodded her head in agreement with whatever he said.

As they sailed swiftly over the water, the far shore drew closer and the size and shape of the castle became more distinct. It was massive, with several towers that reached into the sky. The windows twinkled with candlelight and large torches blazed beside the two heavy oak doors that marked the main entrance to the school.

As they approached the rocky shore, the water rippled beside their boat and the murky shape of some large creature floated beneath the surface and disappeared under their boat. Colin squeaked in delight and leaned precariously over the side of the boat to gain a better look. If it hadn't been for Luna, holding on to the collar of his robes, Ginny was certain he would have fallen overboard.

Soon, the bow scraped along the shallow bottom and Hagrid stepped out to pull the boat further onto dry land.

"Good luck to ya," he called to them, smiling broadly, his white teeth flashing behind his bushy beard.

"Thanks, Hagrid," they chorused, as the other boats slid up around them. Students eagerly began jumping out and climbing the uneven steps.

Ginny stepped out of the boat, followed by her friends, and joined the pack of students. Her anticipation mounted as she climbed the stairs and she resisted the urge to run full tilt up them, shoving students aside.

_I can't believe we are finally here,_ Harry whispered to her, clearly picking up on her excitement.

_I know!_ Ginny squealed, not the least bit embarrassed by her enthusiasm. _I've been waiting for this day practically my entire life!_

_What? I thought the day you finally met me was the day you had been waiting for._

She scowled as she felt her face redden._ I'm going to hex Ron. _

Harry chuckled, and feeling his happiness bubbling through her caused Ginny's embarrassment to abate. She remembered the first time they had met in their dreams just a year ago, how unsure he had first been. He hadn't trusted that she would want to be his friend. With perseverance, she had won that trust, knowing their meetings in the meadow had been the only times Harry had ever looked forward to.

_I'm glad we can experience this together._

_Me too!_ she enthused.

They reached the top of the stairs with the rest of the first years, and Hagrid flung open the heavy doors to reveal Professor McGonagall standing on the other side. All the new students looked expectantly up at her as the groundskeeper stepped aside.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," she proclaimed, looking them all over, the grim line of her mouth never wavering. "Before the feast begins, you will be Sorted into your Houses. I will line you up in alphabetical order and you will follow me in an orderly fashion into the Great Hall."

She put great emphasis on the word orderly as she said it and began to arrange them in the line. Somehow she already seemed to know what all the students' names were and what they looked like. Her stern expression did break somewhat when she approached Ginny and Harry, and a hint of a smile appeared on her thin lips. She said nothing as she moved them to their respective places in line, but her warmth towards them was evident all the same. They both grinned up at her, whispering hello. Professor McGonagall nodded her head in acknowledgement before moving on.

She soon had them in a neat line and walked briskly to its front. "Now, follow me!"

Turning, she marched up the steps that led into the castle, and the line followed her in the orderly fashion she had commanded of it. Walking through the entrance, she immediately turned and entered the Great Hall. Hundreds of shimmering candles floated above them, beneath a ceiling enchanted to mimic the evening sky, and Ginny couldn't help but gape up at the ceiling in awe. Four long tables lined the floor, filled with chattering students seated on the benches and another long table stood on a raised platform and contained all of the Hogwarts staff. The staff at the head table quietly observed them as Professor McGonagall ushered the first years to stand in a line in front of the teachers. The loud roar of the chattering students at the four tables abated as they all turned on their benches to stare up at the row of new students before them.

Looking over the tables, Ginny found all of her brothers seated near each other at one, and Fred and George waved excitedly when they saw her looking their way. She smiled tentatively back at them, surprised at the enormous number of butterflies that had suddenly taken up residence in her belly.

She glanced over her shoulder where Harry stood next to Luna. The lenses of his glasses reflected the golden light of the candles, making it hard to see his eyes. Pushing her own nervousness aside, she reached out towards him, and was relieved to feel he was nearly as nervous as she was. He smiled slightly over at her, as Luna explained to him how the candles worked. Apparently, she was quite certain invisible fairies were holding the candles up.

_They're enchanted,_ Ginny whispered, her nervousness abating.

_I know,_ Harry replied, nodding his head at Luna as she continued to tell him that food would magically appear on the tables, delivered by elves. Ginny laughed. At least she knew that much was true, but she would let Harry figure that out by himself.

_That bit's true?_ Harry asked, making Ginny scowl. His knack at reading her mind irked her. _Made you stop thinking about the Sorting,_ he chuckled.

"Attention, everyone!" Professor McGonagall announced, waiting until all the conversations ceased and everyone was giving her their full attention. "It is time for the first years to be Sorted." She placed a small four-legged stool in front of the head table and set a tattered hat upon it.

_Hello to those I do not know;_

_welcome back to those I do._

_I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,_

_and my answers are always true._

_There were four founders who created me_

_to work here in their stead._

_I will decide where you will go,_

_just place me on your head._

_Sly Slytherin was resourceful and cunning._

_Bold Gryffindor was brave and daring._

_Lovely Ravenclaw was witty and smart._

_Bright Hufflepuff was loyal and caring._

_When Hogwarts began so long ago_

_the founders were once fast friends._

_But over time dissension grew,_

_and alas, they could not make amends._

_Slytherin departed, leaving a gap,_

_and the others soon followed suit._

_But I remain, their faithful servant,_

_It is good they did not make me mute._

_Where once the Houses were divided,_

_a glimmer of hope I see._

_So, all ye students both old and new,_

_may yet change what the Fates foresee._

After a round of applause, Professor McGonagall unrolled a piece of parchment she had withdrawn from her robe pocket and cleared her throat. "When I call your name, please sit on the stool and place the hat on your head. Amadi, Zera!"

A caramel-skinned, dark haired little girl bounced up to Professor McGonagall, sat on the edge of the stool and plonked the hat upon her head.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat called, and the Ravenclaw table burst into loud applause at being the first house to receive a new student. The little girl ran to sit at the table with her fellow housemates.

"Asher, Noah!" Professor McGonagall announced, and a tall boy, with straight black hair slinked up to the stool.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted almost as soon as the boy had placed the hat on his head.

Ginny swallowed, the nerves bundling in her belly again. She was at the end of the line, it was going to take forever for it to be her turn, and in the mean time she would have to watch Harry and Luna Sorted. She wasn't sure what she would do if she wasn't in the same house with Harry. All of her brothers were in Gryffindor, and chances were, she would be as well. Surely, Harry would be placed in Gryffindor. They were soul mates, after all.

_Stop fretting,_ Harry assured, even though Ginny could feel his worry bubbling within him.

_Only if you will_, Ginny replied, realizing while she had been worrying and talking to Harry, three more students' names had been called.

"Cadwallader, Jason," Professor McGonagall stated.

A chubby dark-skinned boy with short, curly hair tentatively approached the chair, sitting precariously on it before placing the hat on his head. The hat took several moments before finally announcing:

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

With a face full of relief, the boy ran over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Creevey, Colin!" Professor McGonagall said and the little blond-haired boy who had latched onto Harry ran to the stool and eagerly placed the hat on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Colin was the first student placed in the Gryffindor house and the table erupted in the loudest applause yet as they welcomed a beaming Colin to the table. Ginny watched as her brother, Percy introduced himself to Colin and smiled. Say what you will about Percy, he was very good at being a prefect.

More names were called, Durbin, Hemby, Kettering, Larabee, and the line dwindled bringing them closer to the front. Ginny could see more clearly how ancient the hat looked and wondered what kind of magic had been used to give it sentient thought.

_What do you think it does?_ Harry asked.

_Dunno,_ Ginny replied. _Ask Luna. She knows everything._

_Speaking of..._ Harry trailed off and Ginny realized Professor McGonagall was calling Luna's name.

Ginny swallowed, watching her friend calmly walk up to the stool, pick up the hat and place it on her head as she sat.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat announced before she had barely set it on her head. Luna smiled serenely and headed over to her new house table. Ginny's heart sank; she had so been hoping she and Luna would be house and dorm mates. More names were called as Luna settled at her table and began chatting with the Ravenclaw prefect and the two other girls who had been placed in Ravenclaw. She glanced back over at Ginny and smiled encouragingly. Nodding, Ginny turned back, realizing it was Harry's turn. She could feel his trepidation as Professor McGonagall called his name:

"Potter, Harry!"

What little quiet conversation had been happening at the tables ceased as soon as Professor McGonagall announced his name and everyone turned to stare at the front of the Great Hall. Some students at the back rose from their seats to gain a better look and whispers began sweeping over the room.

"Did she say Harry Potter?" "Where has he been this past year?"

Ginny twisted her hands together, watching as he slowly approached the stool, and avoided looking out over the Great Hall. She knew he was trying to ignore the looks and whispers and could feel the spike in his nervousness washing over her. She longed to be able to hold his hand and reassure him, but there were thirteen yet-to-be-Sorted students between them.

_I'm here, Harry._

_I know._ He picked up the hat and placed it on his head as he sat on the stool. It sank low over his head, hooding his eyes and sat there, and sat there, and sat there. The whispering in the hall grew louder as the hat continued to silently deliberate. Harry gripped his knees tightly and Ginny closed her eyes.

_Not Slytherin!_

Ginny's eyes snapped open as sick fear and dread washed over her. Looking up at where Harry still sat with the hat upon his head, she could see his jaw was tightly clenched and his eyes squeezed shut as he pleaded with the ancient hat.

_What's happening, Harry?_

He minutely shook his head. _No._

Ginny could sense that Harry's emotions were close to spinning wildly out of control and was shocked to notice the candles and torches flaring brightly. The faculty and students had noticed as well, and began murmuring. Harry's eyes sprang open and instantly sought Ginny's out; the awful look of resignation in them sent the dread Ginny had been sharing with him to settle in her stomach like a heavy stone.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat announced a moment later, raising shouts of triumph from the Slytherin table, as the murmurs from the other tables were silenced in shock.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward and removed the hat from Harry's head, an unmistakable look of sympathy on her face as he rose shakily to his feet. The candle flames flickered uncontrollably as Harry walked slowly towards the table where Malfoy and his cronies sat gloating. He took a seat at the far end, never once looking back at where Ginny stood.

_Harry…_

_I tried to choose,_ Harry dully replied. _It wouldn't listen, said something about the greater good._

_What greater good?_

_I don't know, Ginny._

_This - this can't be right._ Ginny glanced around the Great Hall. Her brothers all sat looking between her and Harry. Their looks ranging from puzzlement, anger, to vindication.

Ginny only half listened as more student's names were called. Instead she focused on trying to send faint reassurance to Harry. It was futile, they both knew his being placed in Slytherin was only going to make things more difficult for them, and just when her mother had been coming round fully to the idea of Harry. They would have to start all over, and the stigma of Slytherin would be nearly impossible to overcome.

Professor McGonagall called 'Preston', 'Quinton', 'Reed', 'Robbins', 'Salahaddin', 'Starling', 'Sutherland', and 'Sutton'. They went to Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw respectively. Five more names were called that she didn't catch in the dismal haze that was overtaking her, and then it was her turn.

"Weasley, Ginevra," Professor McGonagall called, looking at Ginny and smiling.

Swallowing, Ginny walked slowly up to the deputy headmistress, tentatively took the hat, holding it in her hands as she sat on the stool. She glanced over at Harry one last time, who was watching her intently as she placed the hat on her head. It slipped down over her eyes, blocking him from view, but she could still feel him within her, trying to send her some much needed confidence.

"Hmmmm," a voice, not Harry's spoke in her head, startling her. "You're not a Weasley, I see."

"What?" Ginny whispered.

"You're Ginevra Potter, not Weasley," the hat said slowly. "Interesting. I knew your husband was hiding something, and I was right to place him in Slytherin, even though he begged me not to."

"How could you?" Ginny seethed.

"He'll do great things in Slytherin," the hat informed her. "They will take him far. Now, for you…hm, you'd do well there, too, but…"

"Please, let me be with Harry," Ginny begged, knowing if the hat did place her there, her parents would be thoroughly devastated.

"But, you'd also fit quite nicely in Gryffindor, since all your brothers are there," the hat mused. "I can see you're witty, as well. A very well-rounded young witch."

"I only want to be with Harry," Ginny stated firmly.

"Yes, but you already are, aren't you?" the hat rhetorically asked. "Therefore, I think it best if you are - HUFFLEPUFF!"

Ginny sat in disbelief a moment as anger rose within her. There was an immense roaring in her ears, either from the blood rushing through her veins or the cheering of the students, she could not be certain. Harry felt suddenly very far away, and hot tears pricked her eyes as she stood, tore the hat off her head and threw it down on the stool she had just vacated. The candles again flickered madly as she made her way to the Hufflepuff table.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to collect her tumultuous feelings as she approached her new house mates who were all grinning broadly and warmly welcoming her into their fold. She sat down, smiling weakly at the ones nearest to her before staring over at where Harry sat. He met her gaze, resignation and misery oozing through her, and she thought she might be sick.

_This wasn't the way it was supposed to be,_ Ginny thought morosely.

_But it is,_ came Harry's brief reply, his despair almost more than she could bear.


	8. Chapter 8 - The First Day

**Author's Notes: **Thanks to everyone who commented on the last installment. For those of you who were upset by the results of the Sorting, I hope you aren't as upset as you were and are ready to read on. I don't think this chapter will be as bad as you may be predicting it to be, but perhaps I only think that because I wrote it. At any rate, thanks for reading and commenting!

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Ginny awoke with a start and sat straight up, at first uncertain where she was. Thick creamy white muslin curtains were drawn around a four-poster bed of carved honey gold wood, and she sat atop a soft butter yellow duvet. She'd fallen asleep in her school robes and her diary lay open upon the bed. The ink was smeared across the page where she had cried herself to sleep, and scrubbing her fingertips against her eyes, she could feel the tender, puffy skin. She sighed as the memory of the previous evening came crashing back. She had been placed in Hufflepuff and worse, Harry in Slytherin. After the Sorting there had been no time to commiserate. Throughout the Welcome Feast she had tried to talk to Harry, but his head had been buzzing with the shock of the proceedings, and then they had been shunted off to their respective common rooms.

It was devastating that they had not been placed in Gryffindor, as they had planned. However Ginny had taken some small consolation in the fact that both Hufflepuff and Slytherin common rooms were located at the dungeon levels, albeit at opposite ends. With that thought, she reached out to him.

_Harry?_

It was a moment before he responded, but even before she had called his name she had faintly sensed that he was awake, and had been for some time.

_Ginny._

_Did you sleep?_

_Not really, you?_

_Yes,_ she felt terrible admitting it, but he would know if she were lying.

_Good._ he replied, and she knew he meant it. _I've been thinking and I have an idea. Meet me outside the Great Hall?_

_I'll be right there._

She moved to the edge of her bed and pulled back the curtains. The curtains were still drawn around her dorm mates' beds, and the windows were just beginning to turn from black to grey with the rising sun. Slipping off the bed, Ginny opened her trunk and withdrew a clean school uniform and robe, along with her satchel. As they hadn't received their daily schedules yet, she placed all of her books in the satchel. Exiting through the round door to her room, she quickly made her way to the shared washroom to shower and dress.

She dropped her soiled clothes in the hamper by the door and walked down the round tunnel to the Hufflepuff common room. She hadn't taken much notice of it the prior evening, but with the rising sun now warming the room, she could see the large round room was adorned with bright yellow curtains that hung at each round window that overlooked the castle lawns. In the distance through the windows she could make out the trunks of the large trees that announced the entrance to the Forbidden Forest. Under the windows over-stuffed chintz armchairs and settees were intimately arranged around low, honey wood tables to accommodate students who wanted to study, play games, or merely chat in the evenings or during free periods. A large round fireplace sat between the two doors that led to the boys and girls dormitories, but the fire that had been blazing the night before was now nothing more than cold ashes in the grate. It was a warm and cosy room, and Ginny felt as if she were back at the Burrow. Her mother would definitely have approved of the decor.

Departing, she quickly navigated the hallway, cresting the stairs that led to the Entrance Hall and saw that Harry was already waiting by the doors to the Great Hall. His hair was dishevelled from a restless night of not sleeping and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. Despite that she had to admit that the green and silver of the Slytherin robes suited him. A foreign jittery sensation settled in her chest and belly at the sight of him, and she paused, as a strange emotion she had no name for briefly overcame her. Harry looked up from where he had been studying his polished black loafers and looked over in her direction. His brilliant green eyes, bright despite his exhaustion and worry locked with hers and Ginny felt warmth flood her cheeks.

Squashing the alien feeling within her, she focused on the issue at hand and quickly closed the distance between them.

"Thanks for coming so quickly," Harry said in greeting when she stopped in front of him.

"You're my best friend, of course I came quickly," she replied, shifting her heavy satchel higher on her shoulder.

"What's all that?" he inquired, nodding towards her bag.

"Books. I wasn't sure what we would need this morning for our first classes," she confessed.

"Right," he nodded absent-mindedly and Ginny noticed he did not have his rucksack.

"So, what is your plan?" she asked instead.

"I thought we could speak to Professor Dumbledore, I'm sure he can help us," Harry informed her, his expression darkening. "I tried to speak with Professor Snape, but he became extremely angry with me."

"Why?" Ginny asked.

Harry shook his head. "I have no idea, but he demanded I leave his office when I asked if there was any way to switch houses."

"Maybe you hurt his feelings," she suggested.

"No," he negated. "It was more than that. I've never seen him look so angry, not even during our lessons."

"So, Dumbledore then," Ginny stated. "He's our last hope."

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "I was hoping we could catch him at breakfast, or ask Professor McGonagall how to see him."

"You can ask me now," the voice of Professor McGonagall echoed through the Entrance Hall as she approached. She descended the main staircase and stopping before them, studied them keenly. "You two are up early this morning."

"We were hoping to see Professor Dumbledore," Ginny offered.

"Why?" the deputy headmistress asked.

"We would like to switch houses," Harry announced. "The Sorting Hat must have made a mistake."

"I am sorry, but once the Sorting is complete it cannot be changed."

"But why?" Harry and Ginny protested together.

"It is how the Founders deigned it," she replied. "The hat looks within the students for traits they may share with the four founders, and places them in the House they are best suited for."

"I am not a Slytherin," Harry ground out, his face suddenly a mask of anger. Ginny flinched at the vehemence she felt within him.

Professor McGonagall sighed. "Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do. I have often thought the Sorting is not always the best way to determine where our students would fit in best, but it has been the tradition of Hogwarts since the beginning."

"But you're the Deputy Headmistress!" Ginny protested. "Surely you and Professor Dumbledore can have some say in the matter."

She shook his head sadly. "I am sorry, but I do not. It lies solely upon the Sorting Hat to make the decision, and once made, cannot be unmade."

"This is complete rubbish!" Harry shouted.

Other students were beginning to trickle into the hall and Professor McGonagall sighed once again. "I am truly sorry, Mr Potter, but the decision cannot be unmade." She assessed him sternly. "I see you do not have your school things. I suggest you gather them immediately and then return here to eat before classes begin. I will be handing your schedules out shortly, and it would not do for you to be late on your first day."

She turned to enter the Great Hall, but paused to turn back to them, "I should remind you, that not all who are in Slytherin, or any House for that matter are cut from the same cloth."

She continued on into the Great Hall, and Ginny turned to Harry. "Well, that wasn't very helpful, was it?"

"No, and it sounds like we are stuck," Harry replied. He shook his head in defeat. "I was up all night hoping they would all agree it was a mistake. I'd better go collect my things like she said, Ginny. I'll see you later."

_Harry,_ Ginny called as he moved to leave. _I know you're worried, but this doesn't change anything between us. You're still my best friend._

_I know, Ginny. Thanks._

There was a roaring in Harry's ears, effectively drowning out the sounds of the anything else around him. Muttering a hasty good-bye to Ginny, he headed back towards the Slytherin common room to gather his things for the day as Professor McGonagall had commanded of him. The Slytherin dormitories were in the dungeon and Harry felt his spirits lower with each step he descended. He should have known the past year with the Weasleys had been too good to be true and now the other shoe had well and fully dropped. Reaching the bottom stair, a long, damp corridor stood before him. Rusted suits of armour stood on plinths set intermittently down the walls on either side; instead of holding swords or shields, they held guttering torches that cast a flickering, uneven light along the passage. He stopped about halfway down, next to a plinth that contained a knight who didn't appear to be in any better shape than his counterparts. However, his breastplate had a small and faint etching of a snake in the upper left-hand corner.

Facing the blank wall to the left of the knight, Harry uttered, "Asphodel."

The stones slid silently to the side to reveal an alcove with a black oak door behind. Shoving the door open, he stepped through to the Slytherin common room. The room was bathed in a pale green light from the sunlight reflecting off the surface of Great Lake. The overstuffed dark green leather armchairs and sofas scattered tastefully about the room were empty as most of the students had already made their way to breakfast. He headed across the room to the door that led to the boys dormitories, only to be stopped by the sound of a high-pitched squeal behind him.

"You useless piece of filth!You brought the wrong books!" Draco Malfoy's nasal drawl spat from the far corner of the room, and turning, Harry saw the second year boy kick a bedraggled creature with large bulbous eyes and long pointed ears that crouched shivering at his feet. The creature cried out again, its long thin arms covering its head as it shrunk into itself in an attempt to ward off further attack.

"What do you think you are doing?" Harry shouted, running across the room to stand between Malfoy and his prey.

"Reprimanding my house-elf, what does it look like, Potter?" Draco snarled, taking his eyes off the quivering creature to glare at Harry.

"By kicking it?" Harry asked incredulously, having no idea what a house-elf was.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Potter," the blond boy sniffed. "I imagine the Weasleys are too poor for a house-elf to even want to be indentured with them!"

"What's your problem with the Weasleys?" Harry asked, noting this was the third time the Slytherin boy had made a derogatory comment towards Ginny's family.

"Aside from being piss-poor, they're Blood Traitors, Potter, and since you've been Sorted into Slytherin you'd do well to steer clear of associating with them," Draco advised. "Now, move out of the way!" He pulled his wand and brandished it in Harry's direction, attempting to shoot a spell towards the house-elf still cowering behind him.

"No," Harry firmly said, drawing his own wand and pointing it at the blond boy before him.

Draco snorted with laughter. "Do you even know any spells?" He narrowed his eyes, studying Harry as he backed up a few paces. "Why didn't you attend school last year? Afraid your secret would get out?"

Harry was momentarily taken aback by the other boy's statement. It was impossible Draco could possibly know the link he shared with Ginny. His wand wavered in his hand, eliciting more laughter from the second-year boy.

"Welcome to Slytherin, Squib! _Serpensortia!_" Draco sneered, flicking his wand as he spoke. A large snake slithered from the tip and dropped to the floor at Harry's feet. He quickly backed up, placing his left hand behind him to shield the elf as the cobra uncurled its body and rose up in the air, fanning its hood, and baring its fangs. It reared back, preparing to strike.

"_Stop!_" Harry yelled, and the cobra hesitated, wavering back and forth on its tail as it studied him. "_We won't hurt you._" The snake hovered a moment longer before coiling back to the floor and turning to slither towards the source of its appearance.

"What are you doing, Potter?" Draco shouted, panic filling his voice, as he backed away from the serpent. His shout startled the snake and it rose up, again fanning its hood as it lunged forward.

"_No! Don't attack him!_" Harry called, just as Professor Snape appeared in the entry doorway and the house-elf scampered out from behind Harry, flinging its hand out towards the snake. It flew up as if an invisible force had grabbed it and had flung it high into the air.

The professor and two boys watched it pinwheel across the room to land in front of the fireplace. Draco stumbled away from the serpent, placing as much distance and furniture between it and himself. Professor Snape's wand appeared in his hand and he waved it silently at the snake, which disintegrated into a pile of ash. Panting, Draco glared over where Harry still stood rooted to his spot.

"What do you think you were playing at, Potter?"

"Me?" Harry asked, coming out of his daze to return Draco's glare.

"You sicced that snake on me!"

"You conjured it!" Harry protested, "I was trying to stop it!"

"That's not what that gibberish you were speaking sounded like!" the other boy cried.

"Enough!" Professor Snape sternly stated, silencing any further outbursts from either boy. He turned his attention to Draco. "Mr Malfoy, what is your house-elf doing here?"

"He was bringing me some school things he had failed to pack, Professor," the blond boy obsequiously replied. "Potter interrupted and attacked me with that snake!"

"That's a lie!" Harry protested.

"Mr Malfoy, dismiss your elf and go to breakfast," Professor Snape responded, ignoring Harry's outburst completely.

"You heard him, you vermin!" Draco commanded, roughly shoving his house-elf away from him while smiling triumphantly over at Harry. The elf paused to glance between the two boys before disappearing with a small pop.

"Thank you for coming to my assistance, Professor," the blond Slytherin said unctuously after the elf had departed.

"Yes," Professor Snape replied turning to look at Harry. "Mr Potter, gather your things for school immediately. You will report to me at the end of day in my office, is that clear?"

"But," Harry began, only to be cut off.

"Do not question me, Mr Potter," Professor Snape retorted, his black eyes glittering coldly.

While his Occlumency professor had expressed his displeasure in the past, he had never done so in quite this manner, and instead of arguing, Harry thought it best to do as he was instructed. Perhaps by the end of day, Professor Snape would have thought the incident over and realize that he couldn't possibly be at fault. However, the dark look he was now giving him didn't give Harry much hope that this would be the case.

Escaping the gaze of the Potions Master, he headed to his room to collect his things, inwardly fuming that Malfoy had gotten off without so much as a warning. His feelings had not abated by the time he returned to the Great Hall and he scanned the Slytherin table to find Malfoy deep in a re-enactment of what had transpired in the common room. The blond boy stopped mid-sentence when he spied Harry approaching and the students around him turned to glare in his direction.

Ignoring them, he continued down the table until he found an empty space at the end as far removed from the others as he could go. His stomach growled, signalling he was hungry despite the angst consuming him over his present situation, and dully he took a slice of toast and spooned a dollop of marmalade on top. He felt like he was outside his body, everything spiralling out of control even as he took a bite of his breakfast. It was dry and tasted like cardboard to him, but he choked it down, knowing the alternative of spitting it back out into his napkin would only signal to his fellow housemates how truly upset he was. Glancing down the table he saw Draco looking over at him as he whispered to his thuggish friends. Harry looked away and caught Ginny gazing over at him.

_Harry, what happened?_ she asked with concern.

_Malfoy happened,_ he responded. _I spoke Parseltongue in front of him and Professor Snape._

_Why?_

_Malfoy conjured a snake, I was trying to keep it from attacking us. Professor Snape ordered me to come see him after school today._

"Draco's been talking about you this morning, mate," a voice sounded in Harry's ears, somehow breaking through the pounding of the blood in his veins and Ginny's assurances. He looked up to find a pair of dark blue eyes studying him. They were set in a handsome boy's face, framed by a fringe of thick, dark blond hair. He had separated himself from the group of other first years that were assigned to the same room as Harry.

"I bet he has."

Harry glanced down the table where Draco was still shooting dark looks his way while having an intense discussion over his bowl of oatmeal. Harry would have laughed at the comicalness of the tableau if he wasn't currently worried about his well-being. Malfoy had mentioned knowing his secret, which was impossible, but the boy did now know that he could talk to snakes. From the way Ginny had reacted at Christmas over discovering Harry's ability, he knew having the entire student body know he could speak to snakes was not going to be a good thing.

"I'm Geoffrey Hemby, by the way," the boy offered, smiling and revealing even white teeth. He reminded Harry of the pictures of Gilderoy Lockhart. "You seemed so preoccupied last night we never were able to be properly introduced."

"Harry," he replied.

"I know who you are," Geoff replied, still smiling, "We all do. So, is there any truth to the tale Draco is spinning about you?"

"Which parts?" Harry warily asked, uncertain of the other boy's intentions. While it had been true he had been preoccupied the prior evening, none of the other four boys he shared a room with had made much effort to engage him.

"Well, all of it," Geoff said.

"Does it really matter?"

"Not really, no," the boy answered truthfully. "Just watch yourself. Seems kind of early to be picking fights with the upper class."

Harry snorted, wondering if the boy was referring to Draco's status as a second year or the fact that he came from one of the most prominent and richest wizarding families in Great Britain. Either way, as with Professor Snape earlier, he knew it would be futile to argue with the boy.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

A flash of light momentarily blinded Harry, where he had been sitting slouched at a table at the back of his last class of the day, Defence Against the Dark Arts. Thinking a student had finally worked up the courage to hex him, he jumped from his seat and looked around the spots popping in front of his eyes.

"Hi, Harry," Colin said brightly, standing beside the table and lowering his accursed camera. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Colin," he said through gritted teeth. "Would you mind asking me before you take any more pictures?"

"Oh sure," the boy answered, oblivious to Harry's discomfort. "May I sit with you?" He nudged the chair next to Harry's and was already placing his rucksack on the table before he could respond. Nodding his assent, he sat back down in his recently vacated seat.

The Gryffindor boy grinned wider than Harry thought his mouth could stretch. "Thanks, Harry!" he said, plopping into the seat next to him. "How has your first day been? Mine has been amazing! I wanted to sit next to you in Transfiguration class but you arrived so late..."

Harry stared at him, flummoxed, "Er…"

He was a bit perplexed at the boy's behaviour. Throughout the day most of the student body had avoided him like the plague, whispering about him as if he weren't even there. Fortunately, he and Ginny were scheduled for the same Charms class first thing that morning, so it had been a relief to have her as buffer. She had sent several looks of rebuke to anyone who had attempted to question why she would affiliate herself with not only a Slytherin, but one who was obviously exhibiting signs of Dark wizardry.

At one point she had verbally assaulted a fellow Hufflepuff, Jason Cadwallader who had been daft enough to suggest that Harry shouldn't be allowed near the other students, seeing as how he had defeated a powerful Dark Lord. The fact that Harry had been quite unable to perfect an adequate Levitation Charm had seemed to go unnoticed to the rest of his class. Ginny had assured him that plenty of first years had difficulty mastering simple spells, but it hadn't helped that she had had no trouble making her feather float about the room.

The rest of the day hadn't fared much better with the exception that at least he had endured History of Magic with Luna. It appeared she was as much an outcast in her House as he was in his, as none of her fellow students wanted to sit near her. He had gladly shared a desk with her at the back of the class and used the heavy textbook as a pillow as Professor Binn's, who just so happened to be a ghost, and had as much personality as a gravestone droned on about the first Goblin Wars. After a long sleepless night, he had fallen asleep during the lecture, and woke up quite ashamed that he didn't have a clue what had transpired in class. Fortunately, Luna informed him he hadn't missed much and could copy her notes later if need be. He thanked her and they made plans with Ginny, who was waiting for them outside the Great Hall at lunch, to meet in the library after dinner. They had reluctantly parted ways to sit at their own tables for lunch. Luna and Ginny were lucky enough to share the same schedule for the afternoon.

He'd dawdled at lunch, waiting for most of the student body to depart before making his way to Transfiguration. He had hoped to avoid running into anyone, but unfortunately he was uncertain where his next class was located. He'd wandered the halls and was lost on the first floor when he bumped into Hermione who had just been exiting a door. She'd looked quite preoccupied and squeaked in dismay when she saw him. She had backed up against the wall, fearfully clutching her books to her chest.

Overcoming his exasperation, he'd asked her for directions to his next class. She had hesitantly pointed him back down the stairs and towards the middle courtyard before running off in the opposite direction. He'd finally managed to find Professor McGonagall's classroom, but as Colin had mentioned he had barely made it on time. Once he had arrived, no one had looked too happy to see him and he had taken a seat at an empty table at the back of the class.

"Oh, I know," Colin interrupted his reverie, casting a commiserating look Harry's way. "Everyone is talking about you, but I for one don't believe you are going to attack me."

"You don't?" Harry asked.

The other boy shook his head. "Is it true you can talk to snakes?"

Colin appeared to be too naive of the wizarding world to equate Harry's ability to talk to snakes, a trait he had learned he shared with You-Know-Who, with him turning Dark, unlike the rest of the school. All day long he had suffered wary looks from the student body as they whispered about the fact that he had been Sorted into Slytherin and the rumour that he could talk to snakes. Both of those subjects led to the third subject of conjecturing on if he would follow the same path as Lord Voldemort.

"Yeah," Harry answered.

"Really? It's really true?" Colin asked.

"Er," he mumbled again. "You're not afraid of me?"

The younger boy looked surprised, "You seem nice enough to me. My dad always said I was a good judge of character."

"Huh," was all Harry was able to summon in response and instead listened to Colin prattle on while the rest of class filed in and took their places. The other four Slytherin boys sent him odd looks as they took seats at tables near him. After they had settled, their elected spokesman, Geoff, who had introduced himself to Harry that morning leaned over from his chair:

"What gives, Harry, sitting with a Gryffindor?"

Harry shrugged, "What does it matter?"

"It's just not usually done, is all," Geoff replied. "From what I have heard, at least."

"Well, there doesn't look to be anywhere else to sit, does there?" he responded gesturing to the full tables in the room, just as Gilderoy Lockhart swept into the room, wearing bright aquamarine robes that perfectly accented his blue eyes. All the girls in the room released an audible sigh as the man turned to face them, passing his hand lightly over his hair to ensure each blond lock was in its proper place. Harry turned to share an eye-roll with Colin only to find the boy rapidly snapping pictures of their Defence professor with his camera. Lockhart smiled broadly for the camera as he walked back up the aisle.

"Now, now," he gushed. "I know it's exciting to have someone as famous as myself as your instructor, but I must ask you take one more picture and then put your camera away, Mr Creevey." He stopped at their table, placed both hands on his hips, puffed out his chest and smiled broadly, exposing as many of his pearly white teeth as was possible. Colin snapped a few more quick pictures and already had girls leaning over to urgently ask him for copies. Lockhart basked a moment longer in the spotlight before fully taking stock of his surroundings. Spying Harry slouched next to Colin, he barked with joy.

"Harry Potter! Now, you are the man of the day!" Lockhart announced. "I have been hearing quite a number of stories about you, my dear boy. I must say, you are quite young to be boasting of your heroic deeds. It wouldn't do to have such a puffed head so soon."

"What?" Harry asked in shock, staring up at the pompous man, who had turned from him to address the class.

"Yes, I heard how young Harry here attempted to save Mr Malfoy from a disastrous fate at the hands of a viper he had unwittingly leashed upon him." Lockhart exclaimed. "And it brought to mind the time I, too, had to tame a vicious Burmese Python over twenty four feet long before it wreaked havoc upon an entire village. If it hadn't been for my skill in Parseltongue, I am sure it would have succeeded in carrying off the eight-month-old baby it had in its coils."

"Wait, you're a Parselmouth, too?" a girl with curly brown hair, wearing Gryffindor robes asked.

"Oh, yes, Miss Robbins, I'm quite fluent," Lockhart boasted.

"I thought only Dark wizards, like You-Know-Who were Parselmouths," a pale girl with with thin black hair and wearing Slytherin robes commented.

"Do I look like a Dark wizard, Miss Wilkie?" the Defence professor asked, once again flashing his even, pearly teeth. He gestured towards Harry. "Harry, come here please."

The last thing Harry wanted to do was bring more attention to himself, and hesitated from rising in his seat. This only seemed to spur Lockhart on.

"Now. now, don't be shy, Harry!" he called. "Come on, stand up!"

Reluctantly, he rose from his seat, but made no move to join the professor at his side. Unperturbed, Professor Lockhart moved around the table, placed an arm around Harry's shoulders and steered him to the front of the class. Turning to face his class he squeezed Harry's shoulder tightly, causing him to grimace.

"Does Harry here look like a Dark wizard?" Lockhart asked rhetorically before barrelling on. "No! He looks like a scared little boy to me."

There were titters from the girls and sharp laughter from the boys at this pronouncement. Harry felt his face burn with humiliation, and wondered what was worse, having the whole school compare him to You-Know-Who or think he was a scared boy. He gritted his teeth against the anger and embarrassment and attempted to squirm out from underneath Lockhart's death grip.

"Not so fast, Harry! I know you are eager to learn what I can bestow upon you, but wait just a moment!" he merrily said. "Since the entire school has been talking about you and of course, defence against poisonous snakes, I thought it fitting that our first demonstration be against none other than the Burmese Python I had to tame all those years ago. You may return to your desk now, as I am sure you do not want to be anywhere near this creature when I unveil it." He gave Harry a tiny shove back towards his table as he turned to a large cage that was sitting in the centre of his desk.

As Harry made his way back to the table he shared with Colin, Lockhart pulled the cover off the cage to reveal a very large glistening black snake that lay coiled within. It took up nearly the entirety of its enclosure, and with the sudden exposure to the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the high arched windows of the classroom, raised its head, its tongue darting rapidly in and out of its wide mouth. There were gasps at the sight of the ferocious serpent, and a few squeals of dismay from the girls.

"Now, there is no need to fear, so long as I am here!" Lockhart called with much bravado as he flung open the door of the cage.

Quicker than Harry thought a snake of its size and girth could move, it had uncoiled itself and was rapidly slithering out of the cage. It fell to the hard flagstone floor with a loud slap and began to slither across the floor towards where Professor Lockhart was standing. Back stepping like a dancer, he gave a small shriek as he brandished his wand in the direction of the python. The students who had been seated at the front of the class had quickly jumped out of their chairs and the entire class was now clustered behind Harry and Colin's table at the back of the class.

"Observe as I subdue him with Parseltongue!" Lockhart called, his voice going up a pitch on the last as the snake lunged towards him.

"Aaaassssssssssstaaaaaaay!" He shouted flinging his wand arm towards the serpent as he attempted to scrabble up onto the window ledge.

"Gesundheit, Professor!" Colin yelled as he fearlessly snapped pictures of the spectacle taking place at the front of the classroom.

"Ssssssssssssssssssshtooopppp!" Lockhart squealed as the python coiled its body around his leg and began working its way up to his torso. Losing his balance, the professor fell to the floor. Waving his wand wildly about, he shot a few stray spells that missed the snake entirely and instead headed towards his assembled class. They dove beneath nearby tables and scattered further back to avoid the errant spells.

"Professor, is this what you did in the village?" Demelza asked, peering around a leg of a desk, her dark brown eyes watching him worriedly.

"Everything's under contromph!" His words were cut off as the python had managed to coil itself completely around him and was slowly beginning to squeeze. Lockhart's tanned complexion paled and then began turning bright red.

"_Stop!_" Harry called from his spot amongst the other students. "_Let him go. Please._"

The python paused from choking the life out of the Defence professor and turned its head to gaze over at Harry. It studied him with its tiny black eyes, its tongue flickering in and out to gain a better sense of its surroundings and who had just spoken.

_Sssspeak?_ It said.

"_Yes. Please, let him go._"

_Hhhhhungry._

"_He's too big for you to eat!_" Harry hissed.

"Professor Lockhart! Do you have anything for it to eat?"

The blond professor jerked his head, rolling his eyes towards his desk. Harry ran over to the desk and began looking through the drawers for something for the snake. Most were filled with headshots of the professor or copies of his book series, and he was becoming increasingly desperate.

_Foodssssssss?_

"_Yes!_" he announced triumphantly, finally uncovering a cage filled with white mice underneath a pile of what appeared to be fan mail. He hated giving the creatures to the snake, but it was either that or allow the daft Defence professor be crushed to death in front of his class. Taking the cage he held it out towards the snake. Loosening its coils from around the now limp man, it slithered back towards Harry. Depositing the mice in the snake's cage, he waited until it had entered to take its meal and quickly closed the cage door.

Professor Lockhart had meanwhile rolled to his knees and was gasping as he attempted to catch his breath. The remainder of the class still stood warily at the back of the classroom and were eyeing Harry with various expressions of suspicion and respect. Ignoring them, he knelt down next to the man on the floor.

"Are you all right, Professor?"

"Harry!" Lockhart rasped joyfully, and using Harry's shoulder for support boosted himself up to a standing position. His hair was in disarray and his formerly pressed robes were creased and rumpled, but he stood loftily in front of his shocked class.

"That was an excellent display!" he announced. "I couldn't have done better if I had tried! Well done!" He slapped Harry on the back, causing him to stumble forward. "Now, everyone, return to your seats and you can now read about my exploits starting with chapter one of _Break With a Banshee_."

Slumping into the chair behind his desk with a relieved sigh, Lockhart hastily draped the cloth back over the cage, effectively blocking the sight of the snake slowly ingesting the mice. Harry returned to his seat to find Colin grinning widely at him.

"That was really impressive, Harry!" he whispered excitedly. "And how nice of Professor Lockhart to allow you a chance to try for yourself!"

Harry gaped at the boy in disbelief. He shook his head, glancing up at the professor who appeared to have recovered fully and was adjusting his robes and smoothing his ruffled hair. Sighing, he pulled his book out of his rucksack to begin reading along with the rest of the class, and found himself for the first time in over a year wishing the day would be over already.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

_"Sev," Lily pleaded. "It doesn't mean anything. What does it matter that we've been Sorted into separate Houses?"_

_"It matters," Severus said bitterly, glancing over at his best friend. It was the end of their first day of classes and they were sitting at a table near the windows in the library. It was a somewhat secluded location and he hoped they would be undisturbed. Lily's face was still glowing with excitement from her first full day in the magical world, or perhaps it was the golden rays of sunlight streaming through the windows as the sun set behind the lake. Regardless, he grudgingly took note that she looked splendid in her school robes, the deep Gryffindor red complementing her auburn locks._

_"Well, it doesn't matter to me," she insisted. "Nothing has changed between us. You are still my best friend. Aren't I still yours?"_

_"Of course!" he exclaimed. _

_"Good!" she swatted playfully at his shoulder. "Why are you being so silly?"_

_He couldn't tell her. The Slytherin boys in his room had already been talking about the influx of Mudbloods entering the school. They had also taken notice of his friendship with Lily and had questioned him on his reasoning. It didn't matter that Lily was already displaying far superior magical ability than her inbred, pure-blood counterparts. That only seemed to make their derision of her worse. Where he admired everything about her and could see how she would add, and not detract from the magical world, his Slytherin brethren did not hold his worldly view. They were as narrow-minded as ever to the merits of half-blood and Muggle-borns who had a modicum of talent._

_"Evans!" the wretched voice of James Potter called, disregarding Madame Pince's rule of speaking in only whispers while amongst her beloved stacks. He approached their table, once again accompanied by his shadow, Sirius Black. _

_"Well, well," he said, observing their surroundings. "This is a cosy little hide-away you've discovered. What could you possibly hope to have happen back here, Snivellus?"_

_Lily sighed loudly and rolled her eyes dramatically before meeting Potter's dancing hazel eyes with a stern gaze and thin-lipped smile._

_"What do you want, James?" she asked. "Can't you see we are studying?"_

_"Come study with us," he cajoled sweetly. "I'm sure you'll learn much more than if you stay with this ponce."_

_Sirius smiled apologetically over at Severus for the jab his friend had just given him. It had been a surprise to everyone when the eldest son of the Black family had been Sorted into Gryffindor. To the point where his parents had actually arrived at the school this morning, demanding to see the Headmaster. Of course, everyone knew once the decision had been made it could not be undone, but that had not stopped Orion and Walburga from attempting to bribe Professor Dumbledore, to no avail. The headmaster stood firm by the decision, and rumours were running rampant through the school on how he may have dismissed the offending parents. _

_Sirius, however, did not appear to mind having been Sorted into Gryffindor, and if nothing else, seemed to be relishing the moment. His friendly smile turned to a mischievous grin and he feinted towards Severus, making to draw his wand. To his shame, Severus jumped a fraction in his seat. Both James and Sirius dissolved into fits of laughter, further riling the pretty red-head at the table._

_"What is wrong with you two?" she hissed, rising from her seat, her green eyes shooting daggers at the two boys._

_"Oh, relax, Evans," James said. "We're just having a bit of fun."_

_"Well, have it somewhere else!" she sternly ordered, crossing her arms over her chest and staring the two boys down. Severus inwardly seethed, unable to bring himself to even come to his own defence. The two boys sniggered some more, clearly unruffled by Lily's hard look and ambled off to cause trouble elsewhere._

_She sat back in her seat with a huff, her pale cheeks and neck mottled with red blotches. "They are absolutely incorrigible, and they've already been enticing poor Remus to aid in their schemes." She turned to look over at her friend. "I'm sorry, Sev. I have no idea why they like to pick on you so much."_

_"I don't need you protecting me!" Severus choked out, his tongue feeling like a thick wad of cotton in his mouth._

_"What?" she asked in shock._

_"I can stand up to them myself," he reiterated. _

_"I never said you couldn't. I just want to help!" she argued, her already red cheeks turning redder._

_"I don't need your help, all right?" he yelled, hastily gathering up his books to leave._

_"Sev!" she called after him as he escaped her, Potter, and anyone else who may have witnessed the small scene. He had no idea why he had suddenly become so upset. _

Just as he had become angry with Lily that day so long ago, he had found himself feeling very similar feelings when first Harry had requested to be moved to a different House, and then when he had come upon the boy speaking Parseltongue. It was a trait he had not been suspecting, and it angered him that in the months he had been training the boy in Occlumency he had not discovered it. The boy was weak and his memories easy to sift through, but it was clear Severus had not been trying hard enough to train him. He had barely scratched the surface of delving into the boy's mind and he knew it was because he was afraid of what he would find there.

Now he sat in a chair facing Severus looking extremely obstinate at having to be there. From the stories that had been travelling through the school, Harry's first day hadn't been as good or as bad as he would have thought. The idiot, Lockhart had effectively subdued any fear the student body may have been feeling towards the boy by having him rescue the Defence professor from the coils of the python. Severus was certain that had not initially been Lockhart's intent, but he was cleverly spinning the tale to make it seem that he had planned for Harry to save him all along.

"It would seem Professor Lockhart did you a valuable service today," he began, looking the boy over.

A small snort of derision came from the boy. "I didn't conjure that snake this morning."

"I have no doubt of that," Severus replied coldly. "As you have yet to exhibit any skill as a wizard."

The hurt that flashed across the boy's eyes was unmistakable, and Severus felt an annoying twinge of guilt.

"You are after all, merely a first year," he amended. "It would be unlikely you would be able to perform an advance spell such as that. Be that as it may, it does not change the fact that you exposed a trait of yours that would have been better kept a secret."

"It's not like I did it on purpose!" Harry protested. "If I hadn't, Malfoy probably would have been bitten!"

"Why did you not inform me that you could speak Parseltongue?" Severus asked, ignoring the boy's outburst.

"I didn't think it was important," he replied sullenly.

"It was most fortunate for Mr Malfoy you can, as well as Professor Lockhart."

"So, why am I here instead of him?" the boy asked.

"We must continue your lessons in Occlumency," Severus explained. "It would not do for any more of your secrets to be revealed. In that regard, for the incident involving the snake and putting a fellow student in danger, you will serve detention with me every Monday evening after dinner until further notice."

"That's not fair!"the boy objected. "Why should I be blamed and Malfoy not receive any form of punishment?"

"As I have just explained," the older man replied, beginning to lose his patience. "It is an effective cover, and I need not give you any further explanation. You will report here at seven every Monday. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Professor," Harry replied, not bothering to disguise his frustration that his adversary would receive no punishment. "May I go now?"

"You may." Severus replied. He had always wanted James Potter to meet his comeuppance while they had been at school. Instead, it seemed the golden boy always received everything he always wanted. Before last year, he had thought he would enjoy holding an authority position over Potter's offspring, to make up for all the times he had been wronged by the father. It wasn't as satisfactory as he had hoped it would be.


	9. Chapter 9 - Making Adjustments

**Author's Notes:** I apologize for the delay in posting, but unfortunately I am still experiencing technical difficulties. Many thanks to my patient betas, Arnel, Brennus, and seekers_destiny, and kudos to Arnel for her chapter title suggestion. I hope you all enjoy!

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Molly closed the small book she had been reading and absent-mindedly ran her hand over the worn slipcover she had knitted to protect the book jacket before slipping it into her apron pocket. With the departure of all of her children, the Burrow was quieter than it had ever been in the past twenty years and her heart was naturally heavy. She had spent the day after the children had left for school wandering from each of their rooms tidying up.

Ron's bedclothes had been twisted at the foot of his bed, his pillow on the floor, and a pile of dirty clothes had been shoved haphazardly underneath the bed. Crumpled up pieces of parchment spilled out from the overflowing rubbish bin. Apparently, her youngest son had had difficulty completing his Potions homework over the summer, she quickly deduced after flattening out a few pieces. She would have to see about sending him a study guide or two to help him improve in that subject.

The twins' room hadn't been in a much better state and she had been dismayed to find stains from some unknown potion they had concocted over the summer all over their desk. Even after scrubbing it with Mrs Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover she had been unable to completely return the desk to its original finish. She had debated all the way down to the room Harry had occupied on whether it was worth sending them a Howler.

As for Harry's room, if she hadn't known he had been there, there would be little evidence otherwise. When he had arrived a year ago he hadn't had a single possession to his name worth keeping. While they had found quite a few things of worth in his family vault, the only thing he had taken was a photo album that contained pictures of his parents and their friends. The posters that adorned the walls of his room were still the old, Quidditch posters that Charlie had hung when the room had been his. Unlike the twins' and Ron's rooms, everything had been left exactly as it had been when Harry first occupied the room, and the bed was neatly made. There was nothing of the orphan boy in plain sight.

Stepping fully into the room, Molly had moved to the wardrobe and opened the doors. Other than a few shirts that he had outgrown, there was nothing else inside. Pulling the drawers open revealed more of the same; not even an errant scrap of parchment that may have had a picture he had drawn or homework she had assigned him. She wondered what he could have possibly done with it all and deduced he had either taken it with him or thrown anything away he didn't think he would need.

Ginny's room across the hall had not been in so neat a state. Her bed had been hastily made and snooping within the drawers of her desk revealed old pieces of parchment her daughter had doodled on long before ever having met the Boy-Who-Lived. It was no secret in the Weasley household that Ginny had always held an immense fascination with the story of how Harry had defeated You-Know-Who when he was just over a year old. She would talk about how she had only been two months old at the time of the horrible event and would wonder what had happened to the little boy. As all little girls are wont to do, she would pretend. She would hold tea parties and pretend that Harry was attending and as she grew older Molly knew her daughter had imagined what it would be like to marry the boy. The parchment she had held in her hand had contained Ginny's neat handwriting, practicing what her married name would look like.

Molly sighed, wondering, not for the first time, how it had happened that her daughter had suddenly and irrevocably become bonded to the boy she had always dreamed of. It seemed odd, and she wondered if perhaps her daughter had always known she was meant to be with Harry. Maybe that was why she had been so fond of his story and daydreamed so many times of what he would actually be like.

For Molly, he had not turned out to be like anything she had suspected. He had been a quiet and subdued child while living with them the past year, and she never, in her wildest dreams would have thought he would have been Sorted into Slytherin. She wasn't sure what she made of it, but it raised alarm bells within her once again that they should be wary. What was hidden within him that caused the Sorting Hat to place him in the House known for producing Dark wizards? However, when she had voiced her concern to Arthur he had gently reminded her that Professor Snape was a Slytherin, as had been their potions professor when they attended Hogwarts, Professor Horace Slughorn. If there were ever a wizard who couldn't be further from the Dark it would be he.

Arthur didn't seem so concerned, nor was he concerned that Ginny had been placed in Hufflepuff. Again reminding her that their distant neighbours, Amos and Cedric Diggory were both Hufflepuffs and what good and talented wizards they were. He also mentioned Dedalus Diggle, whom he worked with on occasion at the Ministry, who had also been a Hufflepuff. She wasn't certain he was a prime example as he was odd as they came in the wizarding world, ranking up with the Lovegoods on eccentricity.

Regardless, it mattered little, the reason, as there was nothing that could be done about it. The Sorting was binding, like a magical contract of sorts, and could not be undone once the decision had been made. Not that she hadn't tried. She had called over to the school when she had heard the news and requested Ginny be placed in Gryffindor where her brothers would be in better positions to look out for her. Molly hated to think of her only daughter all alone amongst strangers in a strange place. She had always had someone to look out for her, and she was uncertain her daughter was ready for another big change in her life. Professor Dumbledore had been kind enough when he took her Floo call, but he had been firm, stating that he thought Ginny would do well in Hufflepuff.

Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin. Molly thought she might have had to withdraw Ginny completely from the school if that had transpired. As it was she had taken the time to write to her daughter and reassure her that she and her father were not disappointed in the slightest. She had also taken the opportunity to warn her to take care in making the right choices in friends, and had opted not to make any mention of Harry and his unfortunate Sorting. The whoosh of the Floo announced the arrival of Arthur and pushing thoughts of her children and their careers at Hogwarts aside, she hurried downstairs to greet him.

He look haggard and worn, and without him saying a word she knew his day at work had not gone well.

"It was a rough day at work today," he stated tiredly, confirming what she already knew as he settled his worn briefcase upon the floor by the grate. She gave him a peck on the cheek before they moved into the kitchen where he immediately sat in his chair at the table.

"What happened, dear?" she asked as she picked up a rag to grab the handle of the pot simmering on the cooktop. She placed the pot of stew on the table and waving her wand towards the pantry, a loaf of freshly made bread sitting on a wooden cutting board floated out to settle on the table next to the stew.

"Lucius Malfoy is causing a stir; stating it's against his rights that we raided his home the other day in search of Dark objects," Arthur supplied. "He's demanding that our houses be searched, as well."

Molly placed her hand protectively upon her apron pocket, thinking of all the Muggle items Arthur had in his shed. Some in various states of disrepair, and others, like the car that she knew he had modified, even though she pretended otherwise. "Will they do that?"

He nodded grimly. "We have to set an example. We can't modify Muggle objects, at least not without the proper permits."

"Well," she sighed with relief. "Certainly you received those before you made the modifications to the car."

Arthur was silent, and instead moved to ladle stew into both of their bowls before flicking his wand at the knife that lay on the cutting board to have it begin slicing the bread.

"Arthur," Molly pressed. "Tell me you applied for the proper permits."

"Molly, you know how long it takes to process them, not to mention the expense," he answered. "We needed the car fully functional for the trip to Godric's Hollow this summer."

"Oh, dear," she whispered. "What about the loophole you wrote in the law for the Ministry?"

"We can't take any chances. If the car falls into the wrong hands and the modifications were to be discovered," he trailed off. "We'll have to get rid of the car."

"Can't Xenophilius store it for us?" she asked, knowing how much the car meant to him.

He shook his head. "I imagine Lucius will press for all wizard houses in the surrounding area be searched."

"How can he do this?" Molly exclaimed. "What right does he have? He was the one who supported You-Know-Who! My brothers died fighting him and his army, and Lucius lost nothing! He sits in his manor, as if he wasn't willingly a part of those wretched Death Eaters! We aren't hiding Dark objects and you know he is!"

"If he is, there was no evidence when we searched his home. He's hidden them well, Molly," her husband admitted, rising from his seat and moving to her side. He placed his hands upon her shoulders and she rested her head against him. "I abhor Lucius Malfoy for the pain he has caused you and others, and the fact that he was allowed free without so much as a slap on the wrist. Unfortunately, he still holds a seat on the Wizengamot and that gives him power and sway over others at the Ministry."

His anger was evident in his voice. "I was able to secure another day. They will be here the day after tomorrow. We have to make sure everything is in order."

"Oh, Arthur," she sighed.

"Let's finish dinner and then I will take care of the car and anything else I have that could be suspected of tampering," he said.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Harry awoke with a start when something heavy fell on his bed. Quickly sitting up, he fumbled under his pillow for his wand and glasses as he peered towards the end of his bed. With the heavy velvet bed curtains drawn it was nearly pitch black, but after placing his glasses on his nose he was able to distinguish a darker shadow crouched at the foot of his bed. Two, yellow round eyes hovered about a foot above his duvet, emitting a soft whiny snuffling sound. Stifling a yelp, he scrambled back until he was sitting in a crouched position atop his pillows.

"Who's there?" he whispered, squinting his eyes, hoping to better see whatever had dropped upon his bed.

"Oh," a high voice squeaked. "Harry Potter is awake!"

The gleeful tone to the voice made Harry frown as he asked again. "Who are you?"

The creature bounced forward on the bed, causing his heart to pound even harder in his chest. Attempting to avoid being accosted by whatever it was, he slipped on his pillows, becoming entangled in his bed curtains as he fell off the bed. He landed with a loud 'omph' causing a couple of his dorm mates to stir in their beds. He pushed himself up, while disentangling his curtains, and yanked them aside, allowing the pale green light from the window to offer him a bit more visibility.

"It is Dobby, Harry Potter," the thing yelped too loudly. It was going to wake up his dorm mates, and he really didn't have the energy to explain any more oddities in regards to himself at the moment.

"Shhhh!" he hissed. "Dobby?"

"You is saving me this morning!" Dobby happily chirruped, seeming to have only one volume, which was loud. "You is a good wizard!"

Having learned the creature's name had not helped him in deducing who or what it was, and it was still too dark to gain a good look at it. However, it didn't appear to mean him any harm. Nodding, Harry began walking towards the door.

"Er, thanks, Dobby," he said. "Why don't we go talk in the common room?"

Dobby shrieked in surprise, jumping down from the bed and peering up at Harry with his wide, tennis ball-sized eyes. It wrung its hands in front of its chest and its mouth worked, emitting much too loud whines. Now that it was standing in the faint pool of green light, he could see the creature was the little elf that Draco had been abusing that morning.

"Dobby, shhh," Harry pleaded, glancing over at his dorm mates again. So far, they appeared to have slept through the noise. "You're going to wake my dorm mates."

"Oh!" the house-elf. "They is not being happy if they wake!"

"Right!" he agreed, gesturing to the door, "Can you please be quiet until we get to the common room?"

"Oh yes!" the elf trilled. "I is being quiet for Harry Potter!"

"It's just Harry," Harry supplied, opening the door and motioning Dobby to exit.

This seemed to be too much for the house-elf, because he began weeping very loudly, raising the dirty tea towel he was wearing to his eyes.

"Oh, Harry Potter is asking Dobby to call him by his given name! And he is holding the door for Dobby!" He wailed louder, causing Harry to grimace, as he gave up waiting for the elf and moved to gently push him out into the corridor.

"Dobby," he whispered, "We have to be quiet, remember?" Taking the house-elf's elbow he quickly guided him down the hall, making shushing noises the entire way to the common room.

Once ensconced in the common room, Harry stood with his back against the boys' dormitory door and stared at the house-elf that stood before him.

"What are you doing here, Dobby?" he asked. "And why did you jump on my bed?"

The elf whimpered, twisting his hands together. "I is wanting to thank you! But Dobby is having to wait until masters are asleep!" He wailed and suddenly banged his hands against his head. "They is going to be so mad if they find out!"

"You mean the Malfoys?" Harry inquired, and the house-elf nodded, before deciding hitting his head wasn't doing the job, and crouched down to bang it upon the hard stone of the hearth.

"Dobby! Stop!"

He stopped immediately and looked up, a small cut now dripping blood having appeared by one of his quivering ears.

"Why are you hurting yourself?" Harry asked.

"Dobby is bad elf for thinking masters are not as nice as Harry Potter," the house-elf wailed. "Dobby is wishing the great Harry Potter was his master."

Harry recalled the abuse Draco had rained upon his elf that morning and realized that, no doubt, he had learned that behaviour from his parents. "I'm sorry, Dobby. Can't you quit and find someone nicer to work for?"

He didn't think it were possible for the elf's eyes to grow any wider than they already were, but they practically bulged out of his head at the suggestion.

"Dobby cannot leave! He is working only for his masters!"

"You're their slave?" Harry asked, aghast.

"We is lucky to be working for wizard families," the elf explained. "But some are nicer than others. Oh!" he howled. Harry was certain it was only his imagination that the awful sound the elf was emitting caused the flames in the lanterns on the walls to gutter. He looked around the room nervously, afraid that even the thick black oak doors would not keep the noise from travelling to the dormitories. Dobby had proceeded to stick his hands in the still glowing ashes in the grate of the fireplace while Harry was thus preoccupied. He screeched louder, but did not remove his hands until forced to do so.

Holding the elf's hands in his own, Harry tried to calm him down.

Fat tears leaked out of Dobby's eyes. "You is so nice," he repeated, blinking up at him.

"Dobby came to tells you he is repaying."

"No, Dobby, you don't have to do that," Harry said. "It's the least I could have done." He now wished there was more he could do. "There's no way to stop working for the Malfoys?"

"Only if they give clothes," the elf explained. "But they is never doing that."

"Are Draco's parents as bad as he is?" he asked, letting Dobby's hands go.

Dobby nodded slightly. "I heard master talking about bad things happening at Hogwarts this year. It is not safe here!"

"What bad things?" Harry asked, nonplussed.

"I don't know, but he is bad," the elf uttered before moaning loudly and wildly looking about the room for something else to abuse himself with. Spying the iron poker in its stand on the hearth, he lunged for it and began beating himself over the head, eliciting ear-splitting yelps with each blow.

Harry attempted to yank the poker away from him and a battle of wills ensued. Dobby was surprisingly strong and would not loosen his grip on the iron rod.

"No!" he moaned. "Dobby must punish himself for speaking of his master in that way!"

"It's okay!" Harry exclaimed. "Calm down!"

They continued to grapple with the poker until between both their exertions it flew out of their hands to land with a clatter against a floor lamp in the corner. The lamp teetered precariously before falling over with a loud crash; the flame from the lamp setting the curtains at the window on fire. Both Harry and Dobby turned to stare at the conflagration dumbly.

The sound of harried footsteps approaching the common room could be heard. Harry glanced down at Dobby who looked up at him shamefaced before snapping his fingers and disappearing with a tiny pop. He gaped at the empty spot where the elf had been standing just as Professor Snape appeared in the entry.

"What is the meaning of this?" the livid professor asked, and Harry dully noted in the back of his mind that the man had an uncanny ability to know when trouble was brewing.

He swept over to the blaze, his robes billowing behind him and quickly doused the flames, before whirling back to face Harry.

"Twice in one day I have come upon you causing mischief," he uttered coldly, staring him down with a look that perfectly matched his tone.

"Professor Snape, I can explain," he began.

"I understand you are still not happy to be a part of the Slytherin House, but burning it down will not solve your problem," Professor Snape snarled.

"It was an accident!" Harry protested. "Dobby, Malfoy's house-elf was just here and he was hurting himself. I was trying to stop him."

"You seem to always have an excuse, Mr Potter," his professor pronounced. "Why would Mr Malfoy's house-elf be here again?"

"I don't know exactly," Harry stated. "He wanted to thank me for trying to protect him, but then he became upset and started beating himself over the head with that poker." He pointed to the spot where the poker lay on the water-soaked carpet next to the fallen lamp.

"Where is the elf?" Professor Snape asked, looking about the common room, his tone and demeanour enough to signal to Harry he didn't believe him.

"He left," Harry churlishly replied.

His Occlumency professor studied him a few moments, before speaking again. "I do not think Mr Malfoy would like to hear you have had further contact with his servant." He waved his hand at the mess in the corner. "See that this is cleaned up before morning."

Professor Snape waited until Harry moved to pick up the fallen lamp before retiring. After righting the lamp and returning the poker to the stand on the hearth he pondered the curtains. The bottom hems of both of the dark green curtains were in tatters from the flames. He didn't know any spells to reverse the damage done, and wasn't even sure if there were any. He thought about reaching out to Ginny for help, but he was certain she was sound asleep and he hated to wake her. Not to mention he was sure she wouldn't have any better ideas. Giving the idea of fixing the curtains up as a loss, he focussed on the carpet. He resorted to tending it the old-fashioned Muggle way and gathered several towels from the boys' washroom to lay down on the carpet. He then walked over the towels until they were all sopping wet and hoped that the carpet would dry out before morning.

By the time he finished it was nearly three in the morning, and exhausted from his previous night's lack of sleep, he returned to his room and fell asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

"And when I woke up and went to the common room to investigate the damage, the curtains and carpet were completely dry and mended," Harry told Ginny and Luna. They were all seated at a table in the library preparing to study, but he had recounted to them everything that had transpired since he had seen them last. They had finished supper early and as they hadn't been able to see each other after dinner the previous day due to his Occlumency lesson, they had a lot to catch up on.

He also recounted to them what had transpired in Professor Lockhart's class, stating that he thought the Defence professor may not have been the best choice for the position.

"Perhaps he was merely testing your ability," Luna suggested matter-of-factly.

Ginny nodded her head, two bright pink spots forming on her cheeks, "He seemed perfectly capable in our class."

Harry gaped at her agog. "You think he's handsome, too?" he asked petulantly.

"You have to admit he is," she exclaimed. "Mum thinks so, at least. She has all of his books."

"You mean he's written more?" Harry asked, astounded. "I tried to read the first chapter of _Break with a Banshee_. All I learned is that he is especially fond of bubble and squeak."

"Oh, yes," Ginny confirmed. "I already knew that. Mum refers to his _Guide to Household Pests_ all of the time. Maybe Luna is correct that he was testing you."

Harry sighed. "If you had been there you wouldn't be saying that."

"You have to admit it helped your situation," Luna stated.

"Yeah, now the only thing everybody has to speculate about is when and how I'll turn dark," he muttered. "Ron said Slytherin was bad, but I didn't quite believe him."

Ginny looked over at him sympathetically, "Are they treating you terribly?"

"Not so far, no, one of my dorm mates, Geoff has spoken to me a couple of times," he admitted. "But everyone else, except you two and of course, Colin are keeping their distance. They're all just choosing to talk about me as if I wasn't even there. That reminds me, I need to talk to you about something Malfoy said directly to me, but I'm not sure here is the best place."

_Tell me_, Ginny said. _Luna will cover._ "Well, we're supposed to be working on our Charms homework, anyway," she said aloud.

"Why don't you two start and I will find the text we need," Luna said, quickly catching on. She pushed her chair back and moved to look in the stacks nearest them. "No one here but us and the book worms," she chirruped softly before skipping further down the aisle and disappearing from their immediate line of sight.

_Merlin love her,_ Ginny breathed. _So, what is it?_ She pulled her Charms book out and made a show of spreading out her parchment and setting up her ink bottle. Then she began rummaging in her rucksack looking for a spare quill.

_Malfoy mentioned knowing my secret_, Harry explained, mimicking his friend and collecting the things together he would need to begin work on his homework.

Ginny's eyes widened in shock. "Aha!" she exclaimed pulling a quill from the bottom of her bag. _That's impossible._

_I think so, too,_ Harry agreed, turning the pages in his book to the appropriate chapter about Levitation charms. _I don't think he meant our bond. He said a lot of things that didn't make sense to me, and made fun of me for not knowing any spells. He called me a Squib. Do you know what that is?_

Ginny's cheeks flamed in anger and she propped her book up in front of her to hide from anyone who may happen by their table. _Yes_, she seethed. _You are not a Squib, Harry!_

_What is it?_

_A person born to a magical family who can't perform magic,_ Ginny answered.

"I found a couple of books I think we will find useful!" Luna announced merrily, dropping three thick and dusty tomes on the table.

Harry and Ginny coughed in the cloud of dust that surrounded them.

"Great," Harry said. "I need all the help I can get. I think I was the only one in my class that didn't at least move their feather an inch."

Luna looked soulfully over at Harry. "You shouldn't worry that your aren't magical, Harry. I think you will grow to be a great wizard."

Harry exchanged a quick glance with Ginny. "Thanks, Luna." _How did she know?_

_She's Luna_, Ginny replied simply.

"You simply need confidence," their friend continued. "And perhaps a friend in your House that can support you if Draco continues to challenge you."

"What's this Geoff like?" Ginny asked. She had noticed the blond boy speaking to Harry yesterday at breakfast, and he seemed to have attempted to strike up another conversation that evening, as well.

"He's nice enough, I suppose," Harry answered, "but after what your brothers have said about Slytherin, I don't know if I can trust any of them."

Ginny scowled. She had to admit that she had her own misgivings about the Slytherin House, largely due to the tales her brothers had brought home from school. So far, the only Slytherin any of them had had any adverse encounters with had been Draco Malfoy, but he also came from one of the most prominent Wizarding families in Great Britain, who had also supported You-Know-Who. He wore his entitlement like an extra robe, and his haughty manner was reflected in Slytherin students that called themselves his friends.

She sighed, "I am still trying to suss out why the Sorting Hat placed you in Slytherin, Harry. It doesn't make any sense. You barely have any of the traits of a Slytherin."

"I don't know if I agree with that," Luna commented, studying him closely from her spot across the table.

"Luna, don't be daft!" Ginny huffed, taking offense for Harry, whom she could sense was feeling extremely uncomfortable underneath their friend's intense blue gaze.

"I'm serious, you two," the blonde girl replied. "Harry, would you say you are resourceful?"

He shrugged his shoulders in answer, causing Luna to shake her head in dismay.

""How many times were you able to elude your cousin when he and his gang were chasing you?" she pressed.

"A few, but most of those were simply by luck," Harry replied. "They caught me plenty of times." He shuddered at the memory of the past encounters he had had with Dudley and his thuggish friends.

"But you always tried to escape, correct?" Luna pressed.

"Of course! Anyone would!" he exclaimed in a loud whisper.

"Self-preservation," she countered, "That's two Slytherin traits. Fraternity and determination are both a given, especially after the way you stood up for us to Draco on the train. That makes four.

"It's too early to tell, but from your aura I predict you could grow to be a powerful leader."

"Luna, please," Harry protested, "That's exactly what I don't want people to think! They are already comparing me to Voldemort."

"You are nothing like him," Ginny interjected. "You need to stop listening to what everyone else is saying."

"That's easier said than done, especially since it's all anyone seems to care about at the moment," he countered, his eyes darkening as his anger built up.

"You really need to learn to control your anger, Harry," Luna admonished. "It's written all over your face. That's where Slytherin's cunning trait would do you some good. You don't want other people to know how you really feel."

"She has a point, Harry," Ginny agreed. "It's evident that you are upset, and it goes way beyond just me noticing."

"Of course I'm upset!" he exploded, his outburst causing several students who had been perusing the stacks near them to scurry back to their tables in various parts of the library. "I've been Sorted into the same House as the madman who killed my parents!"

Both girls looked over at him sympathetically and Ginny reached over to place her hand lightly on his arm. She was about to offer up more words of encouragement along with the strong feelings she was attempting to channel to him to help assuage his anger when the awful sound of Draco Malfoy's voice interrupted them.

"I see your mother wasn't able to convince the headmaster to switch your House, Weasley," he drawled as he approached them, followed by Crabbe and Goyle, as well as two of Harry's dorm mates. One was the lanky boy with black, greasy hair named Noah, and the other was a chubby boy with mousy brown hair, Ginny thought whose name was Mark Vaisey.

"What are you talking about?" she asked reflexively, kicking herself as she did so, knowing she should have simply ignored the arrogant Slytherin boy.

"Didn't you know?" Malfoy taunted. "Your mum called up to the school yesterday demanding Professor Dumbledore move you to Gryffindor where you belonged."

"She did not!" she said, knowing full well that what the boy was stating sounded exactly like something her mother would have tried to do.

Harry shifted uncomfortably beside her, and her dismay grew. Her mother had asked for her to be moved but apparently had said nothing about him.

"Guess she didn't care enough to ask about you, Potter." Draco snickered, his long thin nose crinkling up at the nostrils, and she very much wanted to hex him. She began to pull her wand from her pocket, thinking of which spell she had seen her brothers use and could possibly attempt to duplicate.

_Guess that hug didn't really mean anything, after all._

Ginny was stung by his words and angrier than ever with her mother. _Of course it did! Don't listen to him! He's a git! He's probably lying, anyway_. However doubt wormed its way deeper within her. Draco's father was on the board of directors; he could be speaking the truth.

Draco took in the Charms books spread out over the table along with a couple of feathers Luna had brought along for them to practice with.

"Noah tells me you weren't even able to produce a proper Levitation Charm, Potter," he sneered, eliciting mean-spirited chuckles from his cohorts. "Pitiful."

Harry's anger was palatable to Ginny as she saw him rise from his seat beside her. "Do you really want to do this again, Malfoy?"

Draco indicated the four boys that surrounded him. "I'm not scared of a Squib and two first year girls."

"You were scared enough of me yesterday when you nearly fainted."

"I did not!" the blond boy exclaimed loudly, his eyes darting amongst his friends to see if they believed Harry.

"Your house-elf isn't here to protect you today," Harry said evenly, drawing his wand and pointing it directly at Draco's nose.

"We're in the library! You can't attack me here!"

"You're the one who came up to us and started in!" Ginny fumed, flicking her wand wildly towards the offending boy. "_Flatus Extremus!_"

Draco's eyes widened in horror and his hands immediately dropped to the seat of his pants, and without a word he turned, pushing through his friends to escape. A foul stench followed in his wake, causing his friends to double over gagging, and they covered their noses and mouths. Shouts of dismay erupted throughout the library as the offending Slytherin apparently ran past other students on his way out.

"What?" Harry gasped, his hand covering his own mouth and nose as he gaped over at Ginny. "What did you do?"

"A spell I saw Fred perform once on Ron!" she cried, her eyes watering from the smell still permeating the air.

Luna pinched her nostrils as she nodding approvingly over at her friend. "Draco certainly knows how to clear a room."

Her observation made Ginny realize Draco's friends had disappeared as quickly as he had, and from the sounds of it, most of the other students still in the library were doing the same. Keeping one hand firmly over their mouths and noses, they clumsily packed up their things and prepared to escape the stench, as well. On their way out, however, they encountered the stern countenance of Madame Pince, firmly holding Draco Malfoy by the upper arm. He vainly struggled, while still attempting to keep one hand on his bottom and the other over his face. A strange watery bubble ensconced the lower half of the librarian's face and her voice sounded muffled as she addressed them.

"Stop right there!" she commanded. "Which of you three is responsible for this?"

Draco whimpered as he wildly nodded his head in Ginny's direction.

"Miss Weasley! I am shocked that you would use such an unladylike spell on a fellow student! I will be informing both yours and Mr Malfoy's heads of houses!"

"He was harassing us!" Ginny protested.

"That is no excuse!" Madame Pince retorted. "Mr Malfoy go see Madame Pomfrey at once! Hopefully, she will have something to ease this chronic flatulence."

She pushed him away with a gentle shove and he quickly exited without a backward glance.

"Miss Weasley, I am sure you will be given detention for this matter, but for now, I expect the three of you to return immediately to your respective houses!" She turned away from them muttering to herself, "How I am going to remove the stench from these books I'll never know!"

While Ginny was concerned about what Professors Snape and Sprout would say other she was decidedly pleased to see Harry's eyes shining in admiration and amusement at her above the hand he held firmly over the lower half of his face. If nothing else, the prank had at least abated his discouragement for the moment.


End file.
